-Master Long only mentioned it in passing, but that I have to partake in the tournament is a bit of a problem...-

The tournament that master Long had mentioned was also called the examination tournament. Obviously, the examiners from the main branch couldn't just choose by gut feeling and if they only chose based on what the branch head the told them, many talents would go unnoticed.

For that reason, the examination tournament existed were the disciples had to fight each other to show their talent in front of the examiner.

If someone did well in the tournament and then got chosen for the inner sect, no one could complain. On the other hand, if someone like Wu Ling who had long proven his outstanding talent got directly admitted, everyone else would be happy since he wouldn't appear in the tournament, giving them more chances to show off in front of the examiner.

-To prevent others from complaining, I would have to be at least in the upper half of the disciples in the Qi-circulation realm. There are four months left until the tournament. If I concentrate only on cultivation and martial arts training, I might be able to do it. But they made it fairly obvious that they also want me to train the forging technique

Should I take a look at it?-

When Xu Ran tried to open the scroll elder Xiao had given her, she suddenly felt some kind of resistance. But even after trying with a bit more force, the scroll stayed closed tightly.

-Is one of those spells that only let me open it in my quarters? I really hope so, or the whole thing just got a lot more complicated.-

When she finally reached the dormitory, QingQing was already waiting for her in front of her room.

„Where did instructor take sister?", QingQing asked her curiously the moment she was within earshot.

„What do you think?", Xu Ran asked back teasingly.

„Well, you were walking towards the elder's hall... Don't say they punished you?!"

„Hey, have a bit more trust in this sister of yours!", Xu Ran reacted in mock anger.

„Quite the opposite actually! They gave me a chance to become an inner sect disciple!", Xu Ran continued in a bragging tone of voice while pushing out her chest proudly.

After all, even she wanted to brag from time to time, and when not now, when then?

„Seriously?!"

„Seriously!"

„That means I have to give it my all to enter the main branch as well. Please take good care of me when the time comes!"

„You think I wouldn't? Who do think this sister of yours is?!"

„Wait, don't I have to call you senior sister then?"

„Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's not like there aren't any strings attached. We will both have to work harder than ever in the next four months. That being said, I have to start training now."

„You are right, I can't slack off either! This little one will take her leave now, honorable senior sister!", QingQing said, bowing in an exaggerated fashion.

„Very well, you may leave.", she said condescendingly.

With an overly proud and arrogant look on her face, Xu Ran entered her room without another word.

A grin slowly spread on her face. Imagining herself being treated like this by other people didn't feel all that bad.

Focusing her thoughts back on her current problem, Xu Ran tried once again to open up the scroll. This time it opened without any problem.

It didn't take long for her to enter an almost meditative state while reading the scroll. Her concentration was focused solely on the text in front of her and any other thought was completely shut out.

After almost an hour, the scroll finally ended. It hadn't only contained the information on the forging technique, but also other information that may very well be even more important to her.

Without wasting a single second, Xu Ran began cross-referencing between the scroll and the book about Chinese medicine.

Using her meditation technique she started thinking.

-As I thought, the meridians mentioned in the scroll all have a counterpart in the book. This is too much to be just a coincidence, there must be some kind of connection between the two worlds, which also means that my situation may not be an accident as well. Well, I won't find answers to that question any time soon.

Anyways, no matter how I think about it, the only way to fulfill all the conditions is by making the ability to forge a strength that can support me during the tournament. I know for a fact that disciples are allowed to use the weapons and armor they received from the sect especially for the tournament, but nothing they brought from outside. The only exceptions are the things that they created themselves.

So, can I make a weapon and armor that could make enough of a difference in under four months?

One month for the breakthrough, another for mastering my techniques... No, make that two...

No, this is to slow...

In the first place, any armor I could make in that time would slow me down too much since I'm not used to it and I never learned to use weapons either. I would need something easy to use or I'm better off without it...

Some kind of flying sword, that shouldn't be too hard to use. But that is probably impossible for me to learn how to make it in the limited time I have...

Maybe if they can only be shot in a straight line?

No, still too complicated, and I would run out in no time at all.

Shooting...

A gun... As if...

A bow maybe? That won't work, I probably wouldn't hit a thing...

Then a crossbow... Reloading it takes to long.

Maybe if it's a flintlock? In the first place, I don't have gunpowder. And the bullets are a problem as well...

Wait, bullets... bullets...

Wasn't there that other spell in the scroll?! But it's only supposed to be used for support during the forging process...

But if I also make changes in my cultivation...

It is definitely a risk and it would also delay my breakthrough by about a month...

But wouldn't it also help me keep up in the inner sect? Don't they say those who try to catch two rabbits will end up losing both? This way I could make better use of Alice's knowledge as well.

But if I want to make this, I can't use precious materials, but normal iron won't cut it either.

What was it called again? Was it the besseter process? besseler? bess...?Well, it should be enough for the beginning level of the Qi-circulation realm.

Should I also adjust my training? I doubt that I can make any great advancements in my martial arts in the time I have left, but I should go at least once a week to the official training to make sure that my basic martial arts don't get worse at least. The basics are the most important thing after all.

Maybe I can remember enough about modern body training techniques and create a more efficient training plan? Hmmm... Yes, any bit of stamina will be precious, and won't make me use my Qi.

I could also try and recreate some of the modern martial arts techniques...

Ahh, locks and holds can probably be broken with pure strength or martial techniques by those at the Qi-circulation realm...

But throwing techniques seem like a foreign concept and could help me surprise one or two opponents.

Well, I will try it but if it doesn't work that's good too.

I should start cultivating now, four months are a long but also very short time.-

Changing her sitting position, Xu Ran stopped her meditation and started to cultivate.

Just like that, without anyone's knowledge, a future legend took her first step. Neither a heavenly genius nor someone with an indomitable will, a person with heavens luck or a devil ready for anything to gain power. Just an average girl and a cultivator free of the fetters called common sense.

Jeanean

It may not seem the way, but even with all her "cheats", Xu Ran is just your average cultivator in terms of overall talent and potential. At least on a larger scale. But then there is that thing about common sense...