TEC Chapter 18

◎ Do You Understand Time Management? ◎

Among the clouds, Lin Shuang and her two companions rode their swords.

【Wind speed: 22 km/h, direction: southeast. Automatic correction of sword direction, deviation: 14 degrees, 12 degrees… Sword direction adjusted downwind.】

【Xiao Ai Travels with You, Making You Faster, Farther, Higher.】

【Estimated arrival at the destination in fifteen minutes.】

Lin Shuang put down her warm teacup, crossed her legs on the picnic cloth, and looked into the distance at the rising sun and the faintly visible gates of Huaming City below the sword and clouds.

She nodded in satisfaction.

Standing on the tail of the combined swords, Zhou Xuanwu also subconsciously looked down.

His lips twitched, his eyes shifted, and he seemed to want to speak but stopped.

“Senior Brother Zhou, are you thinking that we arrived half a day earlier than the mission required?” Zhao Keran had already put away her books and was preparing to land.

Zhou Xuanwu’s lips moved silently, and he nodded.

They had arrived too early.

A drop of water fell, and Xiao Ai Travel was activated again.

【Sensing strong air turbulence ahead, there may be some bumps. Please put down your teacups and refrain from using sharp objects…】

【Deploying small wings on both sides of the flying swords.】

With a flick, two first-tier speed enhancement talismans and second-tier shock absorption talismans flew out from Lin Shuang’s fingers.

The sword regained its stability and doubled its speed.

“Indeed, traveling with Senior Sister is amazing!” Zhao Keran admired, standing up on the sword with her arms outstretched, feeling the joy of flying at double speed with the wind.

“Compared to Senior Sister, I probably only reached the second tier at the fastest, right? It can’t be more than that.”

“Senior Sister should be at the Grand Perfection of the tenth tier already.”

Zhou Xuanwu: “…”

Lin Shuang put down her teacup and waved to Zhao Keran. “There’s no limit to how fast you can go.”

This flying mode was inspired by their previous weekend trip to the Great Desolate Mountains.

When they were on the way, they enjoyed the scenery, so speed didn’t matter.

But on the return journey, when they encountered a headwind and had to see the same scenery again, it became somewhat tiresome. That’s why Lin Shuang improved the Xiao Ai Travel mode this time. As expected, the flying speed had more than doubled.

“Yes, I’ve learned my lesson,” Zhao Keran said immediately, feeling embarrassed.

Zhou Xuanwu’s mouth twitched.

Lin Shuang stood up, and the sword’s tip had entered the descent mode. The two wing-shaped talisman shields on both sides of the sword were successively opened.

【Locating the descent runway: Wang Xin Inn rooftop.】

Zhou Xuanwu: “!”

In Huaming City, inside a Tianzi-grade room in the inn.

A tall figure stood by the window, gazing at the sunrise, draped in a silver-gray cloak.

“Master, we’ve already spread the news about the third-level spiritual treasures we’ll be trading with the Wang family the day after tomorrow. The Annihilation Pavilion should be there by then. We plan to kill most of the evil cultivators and leave one or two survivors to find their base.”

“Mm.”

The man clenched his fist and coughed lightly into his hand.

His phoenix eyes were half-closed, but in the next moment, they suddenly widened.

He saw four swords flying side by side, with strange triangular wings on either side of the swords… they seemed to be talismans.

They were rushing straight towards their inn!

Bai Yu’s face changed, and he was about to cast a spell when they heard the sound of tiles rubbing against each other on the roof of their sky room.

【Entering the runway.】

【Brake – Medium.】

Dear passengers, we have landed safely. Xiao Ai Travel looks forward to serving you next time.】

Strange sounds echoed from above the roof.

The man in the silver-gray cloak raised his pale face in surprise.

Bai Yu opened his mouth.

“Hello, reserve two top rooms.” The voice spoke and was heard at the innkeeper’s desk downstairs the next moment.

…

“Sister, the steward of the Honored Treasure Pavilion sent us a message. They are staying in a Tianzi-grade room.”

Zhao Keran checked the information.

“Third floor.”

Lin Shuang nodded and added to the innkeeper, “We want two similar rooms on the third floor, closest to the staircase, and with windows.”

Zhao Keran listened and silently noted the details.

Faster learning experience points ↑

Zhou Xuanwu also perked up his ears and rapidly memorized information in his mental sea.

“All right, two upper rooms as you requested, dear customers. Five hundred wen per day.”

Zhao Keran quickly paid and took the keys to the upper rooms.

Lin Shuang lowered her head, opened her recording scroll, and started noting the prices of things in Huaming City.

Zhou Xuanwu raised an eyebrow.

“Recording local information reduces the chances of being cheated, thus reducing the additional time and cost of recovering losses,” Zhao Keran explained to him.

Zhou Xuanwu suddenly understood, even though he didn’t care about money.

Useless knowledge was added again.

“Are you three the Clearwater Hall outer disciples commissioned by the Honored Treasure Pavilion?”

As they just stepped onto the third floor, they heard a polite inquiry.

Looking up, they saw a handsome young man standing at the door of the last room, gazing at them.

A Foundation Establishment Stage expert.

His cultivation surpassed theirs!

Zhou Xuanwu and Zhao Keran frowned simultaneously.

“I’ll be leaving in the next two days and won’t be able to oversee the Wang Mansion’s trade. I can only entrust the three junior brothers and sisters.”

While speaking, Bai Yu’s ears turned red, and he sneakily glanced at Lin Shuang behind them.

Lin Shuang, sensing it, raised her eyes and just happened to catch his timid gaze.

Did he know her?

“Head steward Huangfu is waiting inside. Follow me, three of you. Oh, by the way, you can just call me Senior Brother Bai.”

Lin Shuang raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Keran also surprised, leaned close and whispered to her.

“Sister, isn’t it a coincidence? Wasn’t the senior sister you used to live with also surnamed Bai? Didn’t Senior Sister Bai’s cultivation breakthroughs happen very quickly? She went to the inner sect nine years ago, right?”

Bai Yu’s hand, which was about to push the door, froze instantly.

Lin Shuang indeed made a sound of agreement.

Bai Yu’s earlobes instantly turned red.

In the blink of an eye, nine years had passed.

The person before them was already an adult, vastly different from the youthful and inexperienced look he had back then.

Today, he looked even more refined and handsome.

It was normal that she didn’t recognize him.

With a creek, the door swung open, startling Bai Yu from his thoughts.

The gaze of Lin Shuang and her two companions were immediately drawn to the tall figure standing by the window inside the room.

While they had thought Bai Yu had a refined appearance, in comparison to this person, Bai Yu’s attractiveness seemed somewhat dimmed.

This steward of the Rong Bao Pavilion was draped in a silver-gray fur cloak, with a circle of fiery red fox fur lining the brim of his hat.

His long fingers, white and faintly veined with a hint of blue, held a silver hand warmer shaped like twin rabbits.

Near the edge of his ink-black pupils, there was a tiny red mole.

The corner of his eye slightly lifted, adding a touch of allure to his otherwise sickly appearance.

Zhou Xuanwu wanted to speak but held back, ultimately pursing his lips.

Zhao Keran stood behind Lin Shuang, who took the lead and remained silent as well.

Huangfu Yuan, holding the silver hand warmer, looked at Lin Shuang, who seemed to be the leader of the three.

“Junior siblings, I am Huangfu Yuan.”

His voice was not loud, and in the middle of speaking, he coughed, but there was a sense of composure about him.

His slightly drooping eyelids, which seemed to lower unconsciously due to weakness, had a small wrinkle at the corner of his eye, giving the impression that he was always smiling, kind, and affable.

“I apologize for my condition.”

Lin Shuang’s eyelids also lowered as she looked at the impeccably black shoes in front of her. She did this to block the sympathy that was about to overflow from her eyes.

She had met this steward several times when she went to the Honored Treasure Pavilion to exchange talismans.

It was such a shame that a handsome guy like him was either bedridden or coughing up blood, suffering from a body riddled with illness, which affected his work efficiency.

It was a real shame.

“Huangfu Yuan, it is said that he had once cultivated to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm and was just one step away from the Core Formation Realm. However, due to the tragedy of his parents being killed by evil cultivators, he fell into madness during his seclusion and dropped down to the novice level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, suffering from multiple illnesses. Later, he was appointed as the manager of Honored Treasure Pavilion and reluctantly remained in the inner sect of Clearwater Sect.”

“It is said that he possesses no martial prowess and has transformed into a pill cultivator.”

Lin Shuang recalled the information that Zhao Keran had shared with her during their flight on the sword and couldn’t help shaking her head.

How many years did it take to progress from Foundation Establishment Realm to the peak of the Core Formation Realm?

All of it had gone to waste.

Starting over now, and with the added burden of a severely damaged body, it would take more than twice as long.

If it were her…

Lin Shuang couldn’t help but feel heartbroken and sighed, “Senior Brother Huangfu, when will the trade with the Wang Mansion take place?”

Huangfu Yuan was taken aback.

Why did she speak to him with such a sorrowful tone and a pitiful look?

“Three junior brothers and sisters arrived early; we need to wait for two days. We will go to the Wang Mansion the day after tomorrow, in the evening.”

The two uses of time words instantly caught Lin Shuang’s keen senses.

“Hmm? The day after tomorrow?”

Behind Huangfu Yuan, Bai Yu became nervous all of a sudden.

This mission was merely a lure to attract evil cultivators. At least two days were required to allow evil cultivators within a radius of a hundred miles who desired the treasure to arrive at the Wang Mansion.

The three assassins hired by the Annihilation Pavilion were also supposed to arrive the day after tomorrow.

As long as Lin Shuang and Zhou Xuanwu could prove during the mission that they had no connection with the evil cultivators, their encounter with the Diamond Hammer was just an accident and not a deliberate act to destroy the Diamond Hammer’s mustard seed pouch, then they would be in the clear.

At that time, the Annihilation Pavilion’s assassins would capture his master, which would undoubtedly attract the evil cultivators.

The only ones in danger would be the master and him.

Lin Shuang and her companions were safe, with the worst-case scenario being a failed mission.

Bai Yu felt a bit uneasy but stood his ground.

“Yes, Junior Sister Lin. We can only conduct the trade the day after tomorrow,” Huangfu Yuan said calmly.

“As the year draws to a close, Lord Wang needs to inspect the military camps and borders, as well as visit several important shops. Once these mundane matters are settled, he can focus on his cultivation.”

The spiritual treasures brought by Honored Treasure Pavilion this time were meant to assist Lord Wang in his breakthrough.

However, Lord Wang had a packed schedule and was temporarily unavailable.

Lin Shuang nodded, showing her understanding.

She respected those with busy schedules.

Glancing at the sunlight that had just risen outside the window, Lin Shuang smiled and bid farewell to Huangfu Yuan and Bai Yu.

“We’ll see you in two days, Junior Brother and Junior Sister,” Huangfu Yuan said politely.

Lin Shuang nodded in response but didn’t say anything. She quietly left with Zhao Keran and Zhou Xuanwu.

Soon, the sun set behind the western mountains, casting a rosy glow across the sky.

After reconciling the accounts with Fen Zhai for the day, Huangfu Yuan, with his half-closed phoenix eyes, took a short break.

Four or five small dogs with fur as white as snow, as golden as the sun, and as black as the night were lying beside his soft couch.

He chuckled and reached out to pet them.

“My Lord, we have already located five evil cultivators. They should arrive tomorrow night. The Annihilation Pavilion’s assassins are also just half a day’s journey away.”

“Hmm,” Huangfu Yuan withdrew his hand from the dogs, “release the precise information about the trade at the Wang Mansion on the day after tomorrow.”

Bai Yu, looking at the information reported by the message stone, nodded. However, he stopped halfway through.

Huangfu Yuan leaned against the soft bed, the thick fox fur cascading from his side to the foot of the bed. Up close, each strand was snowy white with hints of gold, while from a distance, it appeared like fire.

“What’s the matter?”

“You can’t stop thinking about it, and pities her if the mission fails?”

Bai Yu opened his mouth but closed it again, rubbing the corners of his clear eyes, and then looked at the message stone.

“No, my Lord, I’m not wavering… It’s Crown Prince Cheng, Crown Prince Cheng said he’s free today and asked if we could trade now!” Bai Yu explained.

“???”

“He said he’s finished inspecting the borders.”

“??”

“He’s also done inspecting the military camps.”

“???”

“And he’s done visiting the important shops.”

“…”

Bai Yu bit his lip and faced Huangfu Yuan, whose eyes were filled with incredulity at the absurdity of the situation.

“That… His Highness said there’s a Lin-named female cultivator who taught him a secret technique in time management today…”

“???”

“He has already finished his two-day schedule in advance, and he can conduct the trade tonight.”

Huangfu Yuan’s phoenix eyes widened, instantly fully awake.

【Honored Treasure Pavilion Customer Information, New Entry.】

【Lin Shuang】: Senior Brother Huangfu, we can trade now. Is that okay with you?

“…”

“My Lord, can we reschedule the trade for tomorrow noon? Most evil cultivators have secret techniques to hasten their arrival with their essence and blood,” Bai Yu hastily stood up.

But soon, another message arrived, instantly.

【Crown Prince Cheng】: I’m only a hundred steps away from the inn. I’ll be there in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea~

Huangfu Yuan: “…”

Bai Yu: “!”

He had known that she was fast, but after not seeing her for nine years, he hadn’t expected her to be this fast!

The bandits and assassins hadn’t even arrived yet!

Author’s Note:

【Zhao’s Sect Leader Notes 18】: “Let the inner sect senior brothers and sisters also get to know each other, don’t be polite.”

Lin Shuang’s annotation: Keep a low profile, Junior Sister.

Xu Rui, the outer sect manager, annotated: Keep a low profile, Junior Sister.

Zhou Xuanwu added to it: Keep a low profile, talking too much is always wrong.

Half a day later, Xu Rui added another annotation: Junior Brother Zhou, you’ve disrupted the formation. It’s uncomfortable. Can you erase this comment?

Inner sect senior brothers and sisters: …The outer sect is too arrogant!

***