"Little Jiu, that dragon saliva medicine is related to your blood condensation. Without this thing, I'm afraid you..."
Hearing this, Su Xingguo turned to look at Su Jiu. This was the first time he had seen such resolute expression on his daughter's face, but he continued speaking, though he didn't finish the latter half of the sentence for the sake of her self-esteem.
Unexpectedly, he was interrupted by Su Jiu the next moment. She met her cheap father's gaze, sighing slightly in her heart, thought for a moment, and explained with a quite reasonable reason:
"The college entrance exam has three parts: competition, individual combat, and team combat. Old man, don't you understand what my strength is? How much benefit can such a small increase in blood condensation bring me? Better to strengthen my physique so I can take more hits when fighting others."
Having lived with Su Xingguo for over a year, Su Jiu was quite clear about his personality. As long as his dignity was preserved, he would respect his children's choices. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let her run wild for so long.
"Dad, big sister is right. You might as well listen to big sister this once. This way it's also good for Liu'er."
At this moment, Su Xiaoyu in the corner suddenly spoke up, his gaze looking at Lin Liu'er beside him like a pig brother.
Su Jiu looked over and couldn't help wanting to roll her eyes. What "sister is right"—Lin Liu'er had already placed the foolish little brother's hand on her pure white thigh.
Seeming to notice Su Jiu's gaze, Lin Liu'er moved her own hand away, creating the illusion that Su Xiaoyu himself wanted to touch, then looked back with some inexplicably confident smile.
"Sigh..."
Looking at the determination on Su Jiu's face, as if thinking of something, those dignified eyes immediately softened, but he still said to Lin Mo: "This isn't enough for an exchange. If you want to trade, you need to add more."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Mo and his daughter Lin Liu'er showed delighted expressions. They had only come to try their luck, never expecting it would actually work.
Before they could be happy for long, Su Xingguo spoke again: "But I have one requirement—you let Little Liu support Little Jiu during the college entrance exam team competition."
"This...you'll have to ask Little Liu." Lin Mo looked at his daughter with some difficulty. Originally aiming for the top five universities, if they brought along this good-for-nothing daughter, they probably wouldn't even get into Dongyu University, the bottom of the top five.
"Little Liu, aren't you and Little Jiu friends for several years? This time uncle is asking you, please help her."
Hearing this, Su Xingguo turned his gaze to Lin Liu'er, his eyes showing some helplessness.
"I..."
Meeting Su Xingguo's gaze, Lin Liu'er also showed a troubled expression. If she had to add this useless burden, she'd rather not have the dragon saliva...
If the other party was still the genius daughter from a year ago, she'd be eager to team up with her, but now... could she piss and look in the mirror?
"Old man, don't make things difficult for others. The college entrance exam should be based on real ability. Don't think about letting me take shortcuts." Su Jiu quickly spoke up. She didn't want the Dragon Whisker Ginseng that was about to be in her hands to slip away. Once they exchanged, the other party might not lose out, but she would definitely profit greatly.
"Sigh, I'll listen to you..." Su Xingguo shook his head. He looked at Su Jiu once, not knowing what she was thinking, could only sigh slightly. Years of civil service savings were all invested in his daughter.
"Brother Su, rest assured. During the college entrance exam team competition, I will definitely pay extra to form an excellent team for Little Jiu and help her properly." At this time, Lin Mo immediately spoke diplomatically, while Lin Liu'er behind him looked at Su Jiu with some relief.
Good thing this waste didn't demand to team up with her, otherwise her father might really make her team up considering the mayor's face.
She was someone aiming for the top five universities. That waste probably needed connections just to get into a private third-tier college, and would probably cry pitifully in actual combat, right?
...
The group talked for nearly another half hour. Finally, Lin Mo exchanged 1.5 million yuan plus Dragon Whisker Ginseng for the dragon saliva. Watching Lin Mo and his companion leave, the empty living room became quiet again.
Directly bouncing her whole body into the sofa, Su Jiu glanced at her little brother who was holding his phone constantly typing, sighing lightly: hopeless.
Then she looked at her old man leaning against the other side of the sofa in a daze. Did he seem to have aged quite a bit more?
Why would a high-level War General age so rapidly?
Was it because of her and her worthless little brother... Old man, don't worry. Once I completely distance myself from the male protagonist and his sister, I'll definitely bring you good food and drink.
"You're going to awaken in a few days. Time waits for no one. I can't believe eighteen years have passed in an instant... How happy Ah Jiu would be if she could see this." Su Xingguo tossed the Dragon Whisker Ginseng to Su Jiu, lighting a cigarette for himself, quietly watching the smoke rings while thinking about something.
Su Jiu knew "Ah Jiu" wasn't referring to her, but to their mother—Gu Jiuyu. She had disappeared completely after giving birth to the two of them. The original owner's memories also contained no information about her...
The novel didn't introduce much either, after all, Su Jiu in the original was just a green tea villain, not worth wasting time explaining her family background.
After some time, he finally broke this slightly awkward atmosphere, asking as if to the air:
"What bloodline do you think you'll awaken?"
"Definitely dad's Ice Chi bloodline."
Looking at the screen showing [Brother Yu, thank you], Su Xiaoyu suddenly grinned, then looked up and answered.
Su Jiu didn't understand why her old man would ask this. She didn't speak, but waited for Su Xingguo's next words.
"Right... Ah Jiu's bloodline, you probably can't inherit it."
Su Xingguo shook his head and walked toward his room upstairs, his figure looking somewhat desolate.
"Can't inherit? Is mother's bloodline too weak?"
Su Jiu muttered a few words. Before she could think more, Su Xiaoyu beside her suddenly jumped up, shouting excitedly: "Sister, Little Liu said their class is organizing a get-together and going camping in the nearby mountains in a few days, and she invited me to go too."
"You silly boy, she's just calling you considering old man's face. Where's the sincere invitation? Besides, there are warrior-level demon beasts in the mountain areas. You'd better not go."
Su Jiu replied casually. Just as she was about to turn and go back to her room to cultivate, her arm was suddenly grabbed. She helplessly turned around, pried off her little brother's dog paw, and asked with an unfriendly look: "What?"
"Thanks, big sister..." Su Xiaoyu thought Su Jiu had given the dragon saliva to Lin Liu'er for his sake, feeling a bit touched. Before Su Jiu could reply, he blinked and asked: "I heard there are many handsome guys in their class. Really not going? As for warrior-level demon beasts, I'll be one after awakening next week, so I'm not afraid of those demon beasts."
"Go play by yourself. Don't you know I don't like men?"
Su Jiu turned and went back to her room. After locking the door, she opened a drawer, took out the [Ice Slash] inside and gently opened it, then picked up her phone to search for usage methods.
"Only divided into three sections? Can I eat this much at once?"
Although surprised, Su Jiu followed the method described online, dividing the Dragon Whisker Ginseng into three sections, immediately taking the bottom section and putting it in her mouth, abandoning her idea of cultivating other basic techniques.
"The energy should support cultivating Ice Slash to the fourth stage. Can I get Sword Draw Slash during the blood condensation period? That's the male protagonist's divine technique..."
Gripping the dagger from her bedside tightly, she suddenly thrust it forcefully into the table. As wood chips exploded, Su Jiu frowned tightly, veins on her face appearing like tree roots.
After swallowing the Dragon Whisker Ginseng, she felt her entire body was like a volcano about to erupt, as if it would explode the next second. Countless energies began to surge, but at the same time, a golden power flowed through her blood, continuously repairing her injured meridians...
"Damn, feels like my body's about to be ruined."
Unlike her internal state, the entire room began to fill with frost, the air seeming to form ice particles, and even her brow began to be tinged with frost.
At this moment, as her cold air blew toward the window, her phone was knocked to the ground, the webpage scrolling down... revealing a few small words "Warrior-level usage method."
Martial techniques were classified as non-grade, warrior-level, war general-level, war king-level... etc. Ordinary martial techniques were basically divided into four stages: proficient, minor achievement, major achievement, perfect.
After reaching perfection, martial artists could draw inferences and learn some "byproducts" of that martial art, some good and some bad.
However, low-end martial techniques like Ice Slash and Flame Slash, which were slow and low-damage, basically produced a lot of garbage, so few people chose to cultivate them to perfection, since it was time-consuming with low returns.
But the male protagonist Bai Ming, being poor and unable to afford high-level martial techniques, learned the school-taught Flame Slash before the college entrance exam, cultivating it until his sophomore year, comprehending a martial technique called "Sword Drawing Art."
Combined with his Black Dragon bloodline, he actually instantly killed a War General-level demon of the same rank while only at the junior War General stage. You must know that even at the same level, demons were stronger than humans...
Su Jiu originally wanted to learn Flame Slash, but her body seemed extremely resistant to fire-attribute martial techniques, so she could only settle for cultivating Ice Slash, which was similar to Flame Slash, trying her luck.
...
The two-day weekend passed quickly. Su Jiu maintained this posture for a full day and a half, and the room's floor actually began to seep water, yet no one knew.
Su Xingguo was busy with relic matters, while Su Xiaoyu kept hiding in his room playing games, or going out at night to play war wolf or something.
Just as the sky had completely darkened, Su Jiu's pupils trembled slightly, suddenly opening wide. Ice shards on her body shattered, and with a "whoosh!" sound, a deep blue light carrying cold air shot skyward.
"Instant Ice Slash—is this Sword Draw Slash?!"