ASER - Chapter 73
Chapter 73: Beauty
Feng Ting had just finished clearing out a catacomb. When he returned home from work, his wife brought him an express delivery from A'Diao, saying it was a gift for her. However, she was astute and knew it must contain something beneficial for Feng Ting, so she hadn't opened it herself.
Her husband came from humble beginnings and worked on the most dangerous front lines of demon spirit extermination, constantly risking his life. She deeply understood A'Diao's importance.
A powerful ally was extremely important.
Feng Ting opened it and took a look. "It really is for you, a very beautiful necklace."
His wife liked it and was also happy. She had him personally put it on her to try. "There's a small notebook underneath, take a look."
Feng Ting picked it up and looked. Suddenly, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
On it was a Spirit Power cultivation method recorded by A'Diao.
She naturally wouldn't leak Jinling Academy's methods. Instead, based on the spirit absorption method she had researched from sources related to Song and Cui, she added her insights on creating a spirit cluster. This way, it neither violated any rules and also fundamentally helped Feng Ting.
Feng Ting thought to himself: This little sister A'Diao is truly exceptionally astute.
The upper limit of his path as a military official could be raised even higher.
On the Chen family's airship, aside from paying respects to the Chen family's old grandmother according to worldly etiquette when she first boarded—though the latter was sleeping, and she didn't get to see her—A'Diao had stayed in her room under the pretext of cultivation. In reality, she was currently tinkering with Sparrow.
"There are three modes: realistic sparrow (flight mode), and fitted mode (bracelet mode). In sparrow mode, it focuses on reconnaissance. In bracelet mode... information technology is the strongest? Information technology, huh."
A'Diao activated the bracelet mode. The lifelike sparrow disassembled, turning into mechanical fragments. Soon, they became tiny mechanical particles that crawled onto A'Diao's wrist. In the blink of an eye, they merged and reassembled, transforming into a silver-white textured bracelet. The bracelet displayed time and data. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary fitness tracker. However, when A'Diao called out to it, it revealed its intelligent optical computer interface.
"How strong is your information technology? Can you find information on these people?" A'Diao sent Zhang Ze's photo and then added the names Shuang Jin and Li Zikai.
Regardless of what aliases these people used publicly, the Toilet had identified their real names. They should be worth investigating. And they were no longer under official rank protection. As long as the big database had a match, they could be found.
The main issue was time; she didn't know how long it would take.
Sparrow said, "I can search, but if you want to sever any traces of my investigation, I suggest, Master, that you connect me to Xiao Yuanbao's network. The network I'm currently using is from this airship, connected to the official rank network, and has the protection of the government's confidential network. If we add the academy's network barrier, two layers of protection will make it foolproof. Even if the government's core confidential department investigates, they would still have to get past the academy alliance. Otherwise, a leak is impossible."
This was indeed true. A'Diao wasn't skilled in this area. After being reminded, she knew this Sparrow had extremely high intelligence, truly worthy of being a mechanical intelligence created by Chen Xun.
She immediately connected it with Xiao Yuanbao. And then...
Xiao Yuanbao: "Ah! Sparrowy!"
Sparrow: "Ah! Baby!"
A'Diao: "???"
She suddenly remembered Xiao Yuanbao once blurting out "Diao Diao Master." What kind of strange taste was this? Reduplication-obsessed intelligent programs?
Fortunately, the reduplication didn't hinder serious business. Sparrowy and Baby got busy. A'Diao, on the other hand, sat cross-legged, activated 101 and 201, and then opened the Toilet to release Spiritual Energy. She then entered a state of cultivating while simultaneously studying Talisman Proficiency.
The amount of Spiritual Energy released by the Toilet now was equivalent to a small spirit gate. And as long as her mental power was sufficient, she could absorb the Spiritual Energy output of a small spirit gate 24 hours a day. Not to mention the combined compression effect of 101 and 202, her efficiency improved by leaps and bounds.
However, to exchange for Talisman Proficiency earlier, her mental power had been completely depleted. Fortunately, now, even if she did nothing else all day, just by studying the "little yellow manual," she could gain 20,000 units of mental power daily, which was enough for her daily cultivation consumption.
Time passed, minute by minute, second by second. The Spiritual Energy formed a mist, but within the 101 barrier, it was continuously compressed by 202, gradually turning into liquid vapor.
Moist and damp, it spontaneously adhered to the pores of her body and continuously seeped in.
Every meridian was expanding, striving to accommodate more Spiritual Energy and supply its circulation, until it reached the final destination—the spirit cluster.
Correspondingly, the two spirit clusters within her body were also constantly rotating, continuously generating more and more Spirit Power.
Terrifying absorption efficiency, frightening speed of progress.
But the newly generated Spirit Power was constantly redirected by her from the spirit clusters, following the secret method of Talisman Proficiency she had researched, to continuously temper her physical constitution and to touch upon the most mysterious spiritual body of a living being.
Talent, did she have the talent for Talisman Proficiency?
She felt... she had to have it.
When Sparrow found the information, it originally wanted to inform A'Diao, but sensing her state, it immediately kept quiet and waited.
Hum!
When the first stroke-like ray of light was refined out of A'Diao's spiritual body, A'Diao opened her eyes. A golden brilliance scattered from her pupils for an instant, but it quickly receded.
Success.
"Master, this is the identity information for Zhang Ze and Shuang Jin. But regarding their social movement traces, it will take more time to continue investigating."
If A'Diao were in a hurry, she might use this information today. But now that she had obtained Talisman Proficiency, and she hadn't yet acquired the Aptitude Marrow Cleansing Formula, her room for improvement was too vast. There was no need for her to rush into taking risks.
"Continue investigating. The more complete the information, the better. It would be best to include all deliberately associated individuals around them."
She wasn't afraid of too much information. Anyway, no matter how much there was, it wouldn't be harder to digest than those study packets.
She needed time to consolidate her strength.
The final blow must hit its mark!
It was easy to get hungry after finishing cultivation. A'Diao was just about to call the kitchen to send some food over when there was a knock on the door.
Judging by the rhythm... very impatient.
She guessed it was that unlucky younger brother.
A'Diao opened the door and saw a child who was only a tiny bit shorter than her.
Damn it, this little brat has grown taller again?
Why is he getting better and better looking?!
Similarly, Chen Yang was stunned when he saw A'Diao. "Did you get plastic surgery? And a height enhancement?"
Damn!
Since their grandmother's room was just opposite, A'Diao couldn't bring herself to strike him. So she smiled faintly, "Little brother Yangyang, what do you need from me?"
"Who's your little brother..." he muttered, then said resentfully, "Mother dear brought me here to find you. She said it was for us siblings to bond, and also asked me to ask you..."
"Then where is your mother?"
Huh? What 'my mother'? Don't we both have the same mother?
Chen Yang's mind didn't quite process the nuance, but he didn't think much of it. He just subconsciously replied, "On the way, we met the First Madam. Mother dear got busy talking to her and told me to come over by myself."
So, she was eager to battle the main wife of the household again!
This Xie Yuqing truly hasn't changed in eighteen years.
"Then what do you want from me?"
"To ask you about homework!"
He angrily pulled out a workbook from behind him, his delicate little face with red lips and white teeth full of humiliation. "There are some questions I can't do."
A'Diao flipped through the workbook. "Some?"
The fourth-grade questions inside were extremely simple; she could do them with mental arithmetic even in her first year of elementary school. But the pages were all blank.
Her tone was light and airy, devoid of much emotion, but the young master couldn't stand it.
From Chen Yang +1+1+1...
Chen Yang's eyes could practically shoot fire at that moment. He stared at A'Diao and, without another word, made a harsh declaration: "I'm just telling you, I actually know how to do all the questions on there. I'm just too lazy to do them. People with high IQs are usually like this. What can you do about it?!"
A'Diao was taken aback for a moment. She looked him up and down for three seconds, then suddenly smiled and said, "Wow, so impressive."
Then, her expression instantly turned blank. She flicked the workbook held between her fingers. The workbook instantly flew across the hallway and landed with a thud in the trash can. Then, facing the dumbfounded Chen Yang, she slammed the door shut with a bang.
From Chen Yang +1+1+1+!!!!!
He was frightened, his pale little face filled with shock!
A'Diao: "..."
No way, this only gets a +1.
Her previous judgment might have been wrong.
This unlucky younger brother of hers seemed to be truly just a 24K pure gold... good-for-nothing.
But he didn't want others to know.
"It's been a few days, Madam. You must be truly tired from managing household affairs. You look so much more haggard. You must take good care of your health; please don't overwork yourself. You know, for us women, time is precious, and beauty fades easily..."
They ran into each other on the airship's floating platform. Xie Yuqing instantly went into battle mode, and with her opening words, served up a "cup of green tea."
The maidservants and old nannies nearby were already used to it, but they couldn't help but inwardly diss: Here we go again, here we go again. It's always this opening. But Madam is clearly extremely beautiful, dignified, and possesses a natural grace. As for her, a mere concubine, how can she be the same day after day for ten years... Heavens! Why is this Xie Yuqing so bewitching today!
A red dress, vibrant in color. Her fresh and glamorous appearance, paired with classic dark, wavy hair, could be both pure and seductive, making men's blood boil at the sight and women blush.
Speaking of Xie Yuqing's makeup and attire today, she had truly started at 4 AM, bathing, burning incense, and meticulously dressing up, all to see her own daughter.
She had to make this daughter understand: Your mother dear, I, Xie Yuqing, am forever the most beautiful. Aren't you proud? Don't you feel close to me?
She hadn't expected to run into Xu Zhaoyin first. Fine, let her die under my beauty first.
Seeing the concubine offend her again, Xu Zhaoyin didn't get angry. She merely sized up Xie Yuqing, her expression calm and composed, and said, "This dress..."
Xie Yuqing became alert: "What about it?"
Finally jealous of me? Hehe!
"It looks beautiful, but the material isn't good enough; it could easily damage the skin. Younger sister's skin is delicate, so tender it could break if blown upon. It's better to be careful. Someone, arrange for ten bolts of Yaguang silk to be gifted to younger sister."
Xu Zhaoyin walked closer, raised her hand, and gently adjusted the jade hairpin in Xie Yuqing's chignon.
"Time flies, and beauties are hard to come by. Younger sister, you absolutely must cherish your beauty for my sake. Come and show yourself before me daily; it can relieve my fatigue and soothe my body and mind."
After speaking, Xu Zhaoyin left with her attendants, leaving Xie Yuqing standing there, both ashamed and annoyed.
What does she mean!
Does she take me for an entertainer meant to please her?
Still, how many clothes can ten bolts of Yaguang silk make? Let me calculate...
Xie Yuqing walked towards A'Diao's room, calculating the number of beautiful clothes all the way. Suddenly, she saw her darling son squatting in front of the trash can, rummaging through the trash...
"My son, what's wrong with you!"
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