Lin Qingyue froze and looked up.
Beneath the training room ceiling, a massive, semi-transparent holographic projection screen had materialized out of nowhere.
On the screen, a chibi version of Shenhe sported an incredibly flowing, high pink ponytail, her cartoonish design almost absurdly cute.
Her tiny body clutched a sea-blue bowl larger than her face as she buried her head in it, slurping down steaming hot vegetarian noodles with loud slurp, slurp sounds.
Her cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk's, her eyes squeezed shut in blissful contentment. Above her head floated the goofy characters: "Yummy!"
Beside her, a small line of text described her setting:
[Adepti Daily Life, Part 4: Though she practices self-discipline and abstains from worldly desires, she has absolutely no resistance to noodles.]
Lin Qingyue went completely rigid.
System, you can upgrade all you want, but why are you now smuggling your own fanfiction into the character PVs?!
And you even went out of your way to Photoshop my pink hair onto her?!
Are you afraid I won't die of social embarrassment thoroughly enough?!
She stiffly turned her head away, struggling to maintain Shenhe's aloof and icy demeanor, pretending she hadn't seen a thing.
"Sis," Lin Xiyue pointed upward curiously, "even this unstable Heroic Spirit Summoning comes with a mini-theater now? I thought only Ultimate Skills had cutscenes before."
Lin Qingyue: "Mm! This is also part of my training to thicken my skin!"
The Shenhe form lasted for about three minutes.
During that time, Lin Qingyue practiced several spear routines. The icy spear tip sliced through the air, trailing flickering talismans and radiating a bone-chilling aura. Its power was truly astonishing.
When the three minutes were up, a pink halo enveloped her again, and she reverted to the Priest Girl holding a staff.
"Continue."
Lin Qingyue, expressionless, raised her staff toward the puppet once more.
"Healing Spell!"
"Healing Spell!"
"Heal—"
[Melody Beyond the Strings triggered! BGM: "Moon in the Cup" (Genshin Impact - Liyue Harbor). Disguise Character: Yanfei.]
A bright, lively melody, blending scholarly elegance with the bustling energy of a marketplace, instantly filled the training room.
Within the pink light, Lin Qingyue's priest robes transformed into a red dress and short skirt, and an exquisite Xiezhi crown appeared on her head.
A tome so thick it could be used as a brick to bludgeon someone to death—the Essentials of Liyue Law—materialized in her arms.
[Bonus Buff: Can use Yanfei's Pyro Elemental Talismans and legal debate skills. Eloquence and logical thinking are greatly enhanced for the duration.]
[First time triggering this character disguise. Drawing additional reward...]
[Congratulations, Host! Permanently mastered: Eidetic Memory (Expert)!]
Lin Qingyue froze for a moment, then her heart surged with ecstatic joy.
A Divine Skill!
This is definitely a Divine Skill! Whether for learning Ancient Martial Arts or acing her university courses, this ability was practically a cheat code!
However, her joy lasted less than three seconds before the holographic projection above her head lit up again.
A chibi Yanfei faced the camera, waving a small hand as she launched into an endless stream of legal advocacy.
"Remember, if I really wanted to commit a crime, I'd first memorize the entire criminal code to find all the loopholes... Oh, wait, I'm a law-abiding, outstanding citizen! Why would I ever commit a crime?"
The sight of that self-righteous yet slyly foxy expression made Lin Qingyue's eye twitch uncontrollably.
Clutching the massive legal tome, she struggled to maintain a deadpan expression as she mechanically recited the lines to her bewildered sister.
"Want to fall asleep quickly? Then let me explain the evolutionary history of Liyue's laws. None of my friends have ever lasted more than twenty minutes..."
Lin Xiyue: "...?"
Sis, are you taking this role-playing thing a little too seriously?
A few minutes later, a flash of light signaled the end of the transformation. Lin Qingyue silently raised her staff for the third time.
"Healing Spell!"
Next! Hurry up!
[Melody Beyond the Strings triggered! BGM: "Clear Sky Over Liyue" (Genshin Impact - Liyue). Costume Change: Baizhu.]
A gentle, soothing melody filled the air, carrying the faint, bitter scent of medicinal herbs.
As the pink light faded, Lin Qingyue found herself in a long, pale green and white robe. A white snake prop named "Changshang" was even coiled around her neck, and she held a medicine pouch in her hand. Her demeanor instantly transformed into that of a refined and scholarly physician.
The only problem was... the men's clothing looked far too... endowed on her chest, severely disrupting the ethereal, world-saving aura of a celestial healer.
Mere men's clothing won't make me blush again!
Lin Qingyue scoffed inwardly. It's not like I haven't worn Zhongli's outfit before!
[Additional Buff: Grants the ability to use Baizhu's medical arts and Dendro Elemental Healing Spells. During the duration, Pharmacological Perception and Vitality Affinity are greatly enhanced.]
[First time triggering this character's costume. Drawing additional reward...]
[Congratulations, Host! You have permanently mastered: Baizhu's Herbal Identification and Preparation Techniques (Master-level)!]
Lin Qingyue fell silent again as her mind filled with new knowledge—the properties and processing methods for hundreds of rare herbs from the Continent of Teyvat.
This... seems somewhat useful, but not very.
The plants on Earth and those in Teyvat probably don't belong to the same species system, right?
"Sis, there are Heroic Spirits who can practice medicine?" Lin Xiyue's eyes lit up completely.
Lin Qingyue pushed up a pair of non-existent glasses on her nose, her tone gentle as she slipped into character. "Hold out your hand. Let me take your pulse."
Lin Xiyue obediently extended her arm.
After three seconds, Lin Qingyue murmured thoughtfully, "Your pulse is steady, and your Qi and blood are vigorous. However, your liver fire is slightly excessive, likely due to recent strenuous training. I'll prescribe a formula to clear your heart and reduce the fire: three qian of Glaze Lily and one Qingxin, decocted with morning dew. You'll recover in three days."
Lin Xiyue blinked. "...What are Glaze Lily and Qingxin?"
Lin Qingyue replied calmly, "Specialties from another world."
Lin Xiyue: "...Oh."
As the sisters were talking, the holographic screen above them flickered to life. A chibi, pink-haired Baizhu was patiently lecturing a Sweet Flower.
"This herb is neutral in nature and sweet in taste. While it has no major medicinal uses, brewing it into a tea can soothe the mind... Changsheng, how many times have I told you? Stop sneaking snacks!"
In the corner of the screen, the little white snake was furtively opening its mouth, about to chomp down on an innocent Sweet Flower.
Lin Qingyue pressed a hand to her forehead.
So exhausting.
"Continue!"
For the next few days, the training room was filled with a series of bizarre transformation scenes.
The soaring melody of "A New Day of Hope" played as Lin Qingyue transformed into the dashing Captain Beidou, hoisting a massive claymore onto her shoulder. She then permanently mastered... Beidou's Deep-Sea Fishing and Ship Piloting skills (Master Level).
"Out at sea, it's not about strength, it's about vision! Spot the school of fish, cast your net... Wait, is coastal fishing banned here?"
The elegant strains of "Jade Moon Upon a Sea of Clouds" filled the air as Lin Qingyue became the wealthy Tianquan of Liyue, Ningguang, her fingertips caressing a gemstone. She then permanently mastered... Ningguang's Business Negotiation and Art Appraisal abilities (Expert Level).
"This antique may appear to be from an imperial kiln of a previous dynasty, but the glaze is too bright and the body too light. It's likely a high-quality replica from thirty years ago. Estimated value... 800,000 Mora, and not a single Mora more."
Lin Xiyue had gone from initial shock to numb acceptance.
By the end, she could calmly offer live commentary while holding a horse stance.
"Sis, your pirate transformation is way more imposing than the lawyer one last time."
"Sis, why does your singer transformation keep sneezing? Is she allergic to pollen?"
"Sis, that chibi figure above your head is stealing offerings again..."
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
July 12th, the final day of training.
Lin Qingyue stared at the dazzling array of new "Permanent Abilities" on her system panel, her feelings complicated. Eighty percent of them offered zero combat enhancement.
Shenhe's spear techniques were a genuine combat boost.
Yanfei's photographic memory was helpful for studying.
But what was the rest of this junk?
Medicine, fishing, art appraisal, novel writing...
System, she couldn't help but complain internally, is your reward pool designed around the principle of 'a master in every trade' or something?
[Ding! The Path of Elation lies in experiencing life's infinite possibilities! The Host must learn to find joy even in non-combat pursuits! Elation Value +233!]
[Furthermore, the Host should face the reality of her terrible luck!]
Lin Qingyue rolled her eyes.
That's the one thing I don't need you to remind me of!
Whatever, she sighed. It's better than nothing.
At least if I ever transmigrate to ancient times, she thought, I can still make a living with my medical skills or fishing techniques.
"Pack your things. We're leaving for Tianshu tomorrow."
She put away her staff and looked at her younger sister.
After two weeks of arduous training, Lin Xiyue could now hold a horse stance steadily for half an hour. When she raised her shield, her lower body remained completely motionless. Her progress was incredibly fast.
"Sis," Lin Xiyue leaned in, lowering her voice, her eyes sparkling with gossip. "Do you think... there will be other students at the Special Training Camp who are as... unconventional as you?"
Lin Qingyue considered this, a playful smile uncontrollably tugging at her lips.
"Who knows?"
"After all, anyone personally selected by Teacher Chen for early training must be... special in some way."
She gazed out the window. The setting sun burned the clouds into a brilliant gold.
The upcoming Special Training Camp was bound to be incredibly "eventful."
"I'm already looking forward to it."