Chen Shaojie stayed up the whole night, thinking.
He managed to formulate a complete strategy by the next day.
He committed the plan firmly to memory and repeatedly simulated it in his mind. He could not find any problems with it.
The next day, he took the initiative to approach the girl with the super-grade spiritual root.
"Junior Sister Luoyun, I heard that you're from the Yue Kingdom. Which state is that in? Are there any famous locations worth visiting?"
"The Yue Kingdom is in the State of Lan. I don't go out much, so I don't really know about places that are worth visiting."
This meant that she did not want to chat... Okay, Plan A did not work. Time for Plan B.
"Junior Sister Luoyun, I heard that you completed the "Qing Yu Body Forging Technique" cultivation in just five days. That's really awesome! Let's share our cultivation insights, shall we?"
"I'm not really sure how I managed to complete it in five days either. I don't have any insights that I can share."
So cold... Plan B did not seem to work either. Plan C it was.
"What kind of fruit do you like, Junior Sister Luoyun? There's a kind of fruit called the coconut in my hometown..."
"I don't really like fruits."
Switch, switch to Plan D...
Chen Shaojie's strategy was actually not that complicated. It revolved around just a single concept - persistence.
"Persistence" was the strongest tactic in courting girls since time immemorial, bar none.
The trick was to be bold, observant and thick-skinned.
And of those, having thick skin was especially important. As long as one was strong enough in this factor, no girl was out of reach.
Even a girl as pretty as Megan Fox or as voluptuous as Kate Upton was not impossible.
Chen Shaojie went from Plan A to Plan Z, then from Plan I to Plan XXI, but the girl called Li Luoyun remain unmoved.
But Chen Shaojie did not lose his composure. He patiently carried on with the raid.
Even if Li Luoyun was an iceberg, he was confident that he would be able to crack her open like an icebreaker.
Finally--
When Chen Shaojie reached Plan XXXI, Li Luoyun finally got tired of dealing with him. She turned to look at Chen Shaojie and said very seriously, "I actually don't like to talk, Senior Brother. I'm feeling really tired because you keep talking to me. Can you stop talking now, please?"
After a short pause, she added, "My parents were killed by otherworldly demons. I joined the Qing Yu Immortal Sect to cultivate so that I'll be able to kill all the otherworldly demons to avenge my parents one day. I'm not interested in... other things."
'Wow, so her life story is so tragic...'
Upon hearing that, Chen Shaojie immediately smiled and replied in a gentle voice, "It saddens me to hear of what happened to your parents, Junior Sister Luoyun. Truly."
Li Luoyun's gaze fell on Chen Shaojie's face and saw the gentle expression on the good-looking face. She paused slightly, then quickly looked away, saying, "I don't need your pity!"
Chen Shaojie's mouth curled into a faint smile. His voice turned sincere, "I have no other intention, Junior Sister Luoyun. I've heard that you're the most talented person among us new disciples, so I was just wondering if I could cultivate together with you and maybe share our cultivation insights in our spare time."
After a light sigh, he said with a measure of melancholy, "Although I don't have a past like yours, I also have only the Dao in my heart... Alas, this body has already been promised to the Dao. I will not get distracted by anything else."
"You only want to cultivate with me and discuss cultivation insights together, Senior Brother? Truly?"
Li Luoyun scrutinized Chen Shaojie, appearing to be deep in thought.
Chen Shaojie nodded. "Exactly."
Junior Sister, you're someone with a super-grade spiritual root. I only want to cling onto you until I die. Truly.
Chen Shaojie then asked, "What do you think, Junior Sister Luoyun?"
After thinking for a while, Li Luoyun answered, "I'll need some time to think about it, Senior Brother."
Okay, but don't take too long...
My body is thirsting for you...
Chen Shaojie smiled at Li Luoyun, then got up and left, putting his raid on hold.
Li Luoyun continued sitting where she was and started contemplating. Her expression was as inhibitive to other people's approach as usual.
Chen Shaojie returned to his seat and sat down. Li Xuejiao, who sat next to him, had actually been watching him for a while. She could not help asking, "What were you chatting about with Sister Luoyun, Junior Brother?"
Chen Shaojie made up a random excuse, "I heard Junior Sister Luoyun managed to complete the cultivation of "Qing Yu Body Forging Technique" in just five days. I was really surprised, so I asked her if it was true."
After entering the Hall of Learning, all the newcomers would be taught the "Qing Yu Body Forging Technique". They similarly had to train in this most basic technique of the sect.
Chen Shaojie and the other two disciples who had been promoted from the lower court could naturally skip this step.
The news that Li Luoyun had managed to complete the cultivation of "Qing Yu Body Forging Technique" in only five days was currently the most sensational piece of news among the newcomers in the Hall of Learning. Everyone had heard about it. Li Xuejiao naturally knew about it too.
"The Junior Brothers and Sisters here are different from us. All of them joined the upper court directly through the entrance test. Their talents are far superior to ours. It's nothing to be surprised about."
After a short pause, Li Xuejiao eyes turned determined. She said, "My aunt... I heard someone say that cultivation is like walking on a long road. Besides relying on talent, it also depends on a person's perseverance and luck. So, even if you're a little slow in the beginning, as long as you continue to work hard, you won't necessarily do worse than highly-talented people."
Chen Shaojie would like to tell her not to believe in "Chicken Soup for the Soul" stories like that.
Why could Li Xuejiao and Meng Tiancheng get promoted to the upper court, but not Wu Fulai? It was because Li Xuejiao and Meng Tiancheng were more talented.
As for himself...it was thanks to his transmigrator hack.
If he did not have the Bask-in-the-Glow system, he would not even dare to think about getting promoted to the upper court. With the horrible potential of the original owner of the body, he could only stay quietly in the lower court as a beautiful man for the rest of his life.
But seeing how sincerely Sister Li believed in that advice, so much so that even the curves of her body had become firm all of a sudden, Chen Shaojie felt that he should say nothing.
Let Sister Li live happily in her own fantasy world. It was not a bad thing.
Therefore, Chen Shaojie decided to change the topic. "After discussing cultivation matters with Sister Luoyun, we talked about some other things. She actually came from the Yue Kingdom in the State of Lan, which is near the Western Region..."
Li Xuejiao could not help but peek at the cold-looking Li Luoyun in the distance. She wondered aloud, "Junior Sister Luoyun actually talked to you about so many things, Brother Chen?"
Chen Shaojie nodded and said without batting an eye, "Sister Luoyun looks cold, but she's actually very talkative. She personally told me these things."
"Oh, is that so..."
Li Xuejiao suddenly felt a "thud" in her heart, as if something had momentarily blocked her artery.
She had not had much contact with Li Luoyun. Li Luoyun did not like to talk to people and gave off a cold and unfriendly vibe, not quite the same as what Chen Shaojie described.
"Perhaps...Sister Luoyun only acts like this with Brother Chen?"
Li Xuejiao stole a glance at Chen Shaojie's face, and seemed to gain a little understanding of what was going on.
After a short pause, Li Xuejiao asked, "We'll be assigned to various parts of the sect after this, Junior Brother. Do you have any preference in mind?"
Chen Shaojie thought for a moment and replied, "I want to go to the Jing Yun Hall, Senior Sister."
"Jing Yun Hall? Why?"
Li Xuejiao lowered her voice and added, "I've actually looked into the matter. The best choice for us should be the Si Yuan Hall, because we'll get more time to cultivate there."
Senior Sister Li seemed to have a very special source of information...
Chen Shaojie rubbed his chin as if he was thinking about it, but he would not actually change his mind.
After all, a big shot would take care of him in the Jing Yun Hall. He might even offend the big shot if he did not go to the Jing Yun Hall. It was obvious what choice he should make.