Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

[Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.]

[Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, currently time-space traveling.]

Qiu Changtian sat upright on the stone bed, ready to begin today’s scripture lecture.

As the direct disciple of the Ziwei Sect Leader and the chief senior brother of this generation, Qiu Changtian had to replace his master every morning to lecture and answer questions for his junior brothers and sisters.

Soon, people began to arrive at his cave abode one after another.

Third junior brother Guan Zhan, cold and gloomy, found a spot in a corner and did not utter a word.

Fourth junior brother Yan Zhitui, gentle and scholarly, stepped in with a scroll in his hands and even gave Qiu Changtian a junior’s bow.

Qiu Changtian nodded in response.

Fifth junior brother Chen Zhen and sixth junior brother Zhong Tianhuai, who always stuck together, were horsing around and laughing as they entered the cave abode. Upon seeing Qiu Changtian sitting upright on the stone bed, they immediately knew to shut their mouths.

The last to enter were junior sister Jian Qingnan and second junior sister Xu Yinglian.

Jian Qingnan’s expression seemed a bit stiff, as if she wanted to say something but didn’t dare to, while Xu Yinglian’s face was full of frost, her gaze sharp as a snow-bright blade, cutting towards Qiu Changtian as she entered.

Qiu Changtian: ?

He was initially puzzled, but, being a person who had impersonated four characters, he immediately realized:

The reason he could skip Marrow Cleansing and enter the Refining Mansion was because he went to the Demon Locking Tower for a trial—this fact was now known to Junior Sister Xu.

Upon reflection, it seemed quite normal: according to the instructions of the Ziwei Sect Leader, he should have entered the Demon Locking Tower discreetly, soaked in the Blood Pool quietly, and then left unobtrusively.

However, he couldn’t resist showing up in grand style riding a sword and blowing a flute when he first impersonated Ling Yunpo—his entrance couldn’t have been more conspicuous.

Then there were the Great Demon invasion and the Dragon Clan riot… To maintain the consistency of historical events, later when impersonating Qiu Changtian, he also had to follow the guide of the Kunlun Mirror and go through the process step by step.

Ultimately, nearly the whole of Shushan knew that Kunlun’s chief disciple Qiu Changtian had foiled the Great Demon’s conspiracy in advance and protected the Demon Locking Tower trial team as they left.

Up until now, the news had just reached Kunlun, which slightly surprised him.

Qiu Changtian calmed his mind and showed Xu Yinglian a carefree smile.

Xu Yinglian remained silent, just staring intently at her senior brother.

Stare…

Soon, the atmosphere in the entire cave chamber turned awkward.

Guan Zhan closed his eyes, not wanting to get involved in these messes. Yan Zhitui seemed to have something to say but held back, looking helpless. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai clamped their mouths shut, frantically exchanging glances as if they were transmitting Morse code with the frequency of their blinking.

Only junior sister Jian Qingnan kept winking and gesturing at Qiu Changtian, hinting that there was serious trouble and he must do something quickly.

“Has Junior Sister Xu been well lately?” Seeing that Xu Yinglian had no intention of sitting down on the meditation cushion, Qiu Changtian could only take the initiative to start a conversation, smiling as he spoke.

“Not well.” Xu Yinglian said coldly, “I am deeply hurt.”

“Why are you deeply hurt?”

“In the past, someone said they would walk alongside me, but then secretly took a shortcut on a darker path, that’s why I’m hurt.” Xu Yinglian’s gaze swept across his face like a knife.

Qiu Changtian: ……….

He found himself at a loss for words, so he smiled awkwardly for a while.

If anyone else had said that, Qiu Changtian would definitely have looked at her as if she were a fool: Whoever dictated that any fortunate encounter of mine must be shared with you?

However, Junior Sister Xu was not just anyone else.

Back then, in order to boost the Invincible Character Setting synchronization value, I almost caused her to develop a Heart Demon.

Latter, because of the matter concerning a Daoist Companion, I had no choice but to take on the task of helping her “dissolve her obsessions.” Therefore, I spoke many sweet words to her, such as “With Junior Sister by my side on the path of cultivation, I have no regrets,” and “You are a Junior Sister whom I, Qiu Changtian, personally acknowledge,” and also “I’d like to make a bet with Junior Sister”…

Right, I even made a bet with Junior Sister Xu before.

She even nearly swore a venomous oath to complete her Marrow Cleansing within two years and catch up with me.

The result is that upon discovering the target she was chasing had “cheated,” what her feelings must be now is all too imaginable.

On one hand, Qiu Changtian was overwhelmed with guilt and self-reproach, and on the other hand, his mind was spinning rapidly, leaving him temporarily speechless.

Xu Yinglian, full of indignation and with a hint of unperceived bitterness and sorrow, naturally was also left without words.

Both gazed at each other in silence, while the rest of the junior brothers and sisters naturally did not dare to speak, instead communicating with each other through glances.

“Junior Sister Xu looks like a pitiful woman who’s been abandoned,” said Chen Zhen through his gaze.

“This faithless wretch of an elder brother!” Jian Qingnan communicated with her eyes, responding, “Shameful! Senior Brother Qiu, to think I respected you so much usually!”

“Alas, to ask what love in the world really is, it’s only something that rends the heart into pieces, leaving a woman’s love shattered without a trace,” Zhong Tianhuai made an expression of sighing.

“Don’t make wild guesses; this is not what a gentleman would do,” Yan Zhitui frowned and continuously signaled them with his eyes not to make faces.

Guan Zhan in the corner snorted coldly and turned his head away.

“Would Junior Sister Xu take a seat? Even divine injuries have their remedies,” Qiu Changtian said with a clear voice.

“With what as the medicine?” Xu Yinglian asked after a long silence, sitting down on her cushion.

“Let’s wait until elder brother has finished reciting the scripture and then talk,” Qiu Changtian said with a composed smile.

So everyone hurriedly sat down properly. Arguments aside, they still had to listen to the scripture; after all, it related to the grand Dao.

In his mind, the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly asked curiously:

“I also want to know with what as the medicine. Surely he is not planning to kneel and apologize to Junior Sister Xu after the crowd disperses, right? Or is he going to hold her in his arms and fool her with a fierce kiss?”

“Don’t be foolish,” the Kunlun Mirror sneered with disdain, “He clearly has not yet thought of what to do, so he’s deliberately using this to stall for time!”

“Shut up, both of you!” Qiu Changtian said irritably.

After the scripture was recited, the junior brothers and sisters fled as if they had been granted amnesty, all at once.

Only Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were left, looking at each other, one with a forced smile, the other with a cold smile.

“Junior Sister,” Qiu Changtian suddenly had a flash of inspiration and asked, “Does that bet still count?”

Xu Yinglian continued to stare at him.

“Sigh,” Qiu Changtian pretended to sigh, “If Junior Sister wants to cancel the bet for this reason, so be it… Let’s pretend we never made that agreement.”

He put on an act and stood up to leave, but as expected, was stopped by Xu Yinglian:

“What do you mean, elder brother? Do you think I’m behaving this way in order to muddle through the previous bet?”

“Junior Sister, you are misunderstanding me!” Qiu Changtian hurriedly defended himself, but Xu Yinglian didn’t believe a word, her anger reaching its peak as she gritted her teeth and said fiercely, “Senior Brother Qiu, I am not as calculating as you!”

“Even without the assistance of the Demon Locking Tower’s Blood Pool, the two years I set for Marrow Cleansing are still two years!”

“Don’t you dare look down on me!”

Angry and frustrated, she stormed off, leaving behind a dumbstruck Qiu Changtian.

After a while, he let out a long sigh.

Perhaps he should transcribe a copy of the Body Refining Secret Technique he obtained from the Three Isles Secret Realm and send it over to Junior Sister Xu.