Morning really was the best time for studying.
Ganyu and Shenhe both read diligently, until their bodies grew tired.
And Xia Zhi got the results he wanted.
[Third Meditation Technique] — comprehended on their 8th and 9th reads.
[Second Meditation Technique] — 26th and 35th reads.
[First Meditation Technique] — 88th and 96th reads.
[Alchemist Mastery] — 7th and 6th reads.
[Culinary Grandmaster] — 79th and 86th reads.
The higher the skill, the more reads required.
As for [Primal Meditation Technique], both Ganyu and Shenhe had read over a hundred times and still had no clue.
Xia Zhi suspected it was because neither had grasped Divine Power yet. Without that, the skill was out of reach.
Feeling the new knowledge in her mind, Ganyu said excitedly, "Now I can cook delicious dishes like you do."
Xia Zhi nodded. "Yep. You'll be able to make [Hundred Herbs Broth] for yourself."
Thinking it over, Ganyu smiled. "I think your [Hundred Herbs Broth] will always taste better."
"Then I'll keep making it for you," Xia Zhi chuckled.
Ganyu laughed. "But now I can help you out in the kitchen too."
Shenhe lowered her head, lost in thought.
"What's on your mind?" Xia Zhi asked curiously.
"About Master," Shenhe said, lifting her head.
"Hm?"
She produced a test tube filled with pale violet gas.
"What's this?"
"I collected it from Master—it's her Breaths of Joy."
"And?"
"Boss, can I borrow your cauldron?"
"Of course. You planning to…?"
"I want to turn Master's [Breaths of Joy] into pills."
"And then?"
"Then I'll give them back to her—as a keepsake."
"…."
Xia Zhi sighed helplessly, handing her the cauldron.
When Shenhe finished refining, Xia Zhi dispelled the frozen time in the room and returned to his own quarters.
Shenhe carefully bottled the pale-violet pills.
Lounging lazily against the bedframe, Ganyu watched her work. "Junior Sister, what are you really planning?"
"I already told you," Shenhe answered.
"I don't buy that. You definitely have another reason," Ganyu said, shaking her head.
Shenhe fell silent.
"Come on, tell me. What do you really want to do with those pills?" Ganyu pressed.
After filling the bottle, Shenhe looked up. "Do you really want to know, Senior Sister?"
Ganyu's expression turned serious. "Yes. I want to know. I swear I won't tell anyone."
Leaning in, Shenhe whispered in her ear, "I'm going to give them to Master."
"And then?" Ganyu murmured.
Softly, Shenhe said, "Master will definitely hand them over to Madame Ping."
Ganyu's eyes widened in shock. "??? Madame Ping?!"
Shenhe nodded. "You know Master's personality. She and Madame Ping are always competing, and she always loses. Now that she's finally won once, she'll definitely push her luck."
Ganyu pictured the scene and sucked in a breath.
"Junior Sister."
"Mm?"
"You… you're devious."
----
Morning.
Xia Ci woke and reached for her phone, scrolling through the group chat.
The very first thing she saw was her little sister Nahida's "Good morning."
"Tch…"
Xia Ci looked at the screen and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
At least her sister's personality had finally started to brighten up.
But it still wasn't enough.
She'd been holed up in her palace for hundreds of years, after all.
And that was during the exact period when her personality should've been taking shape.
As her big sister, she still had to keep giving her a push.
She toyed with her phone for a while, until a knock came at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
"Cousin!"
Xia Ci immediately hopped out of bed and went to open the door.
On the other bed, Xia Zhen, who'd been lying down playing on her phone, sat up at the sound.
Halfway to the door, Xia Ci casually reached up and unfastened the first two buttons of her pajamas, revealing a graceful stretch of collarbone just so.
Huh? You could do that?
Xia Zhen blinked, then—trying to act natural—lifted her own hand and undid her buttons slightly.
Xia Ci opened the door with a smile. "What brings you here, Cousin?"
Xia Zhi stepped inside. "Got something good for you two."
The air of the room carried a pleasant scent.
Like fresh greenery.
Like gentle cherry blossoms.
Xia Ci closed the door behind him. "What kind of good thing?"
Xia Zhi pulled out the [Book of Erudition]. "Take a look at this."
Xia Ci accepted it, flipping through curiously. "This is… a Meditation Technique?"
Xia Zhi nodded. "Yep. Start with the first one."
As he spoke, he froze time in the room.
Xia Ci lowered her head to read.
When she finished, she closed her eyes, as if testing out the Meditation Technique she'd just picked up.
Moments later, she opened them, surprise flashing there. "This one's kind of interesting… it runs on its own. I can feel my Dendro energy slowly increasing."
Xia Zhi raised his brows. "You already learned it?"
"Of course."
"You only read it once, right?"
"Such a simple Meditation Technique—once is plenty."
Fine. You're the God of Wisdom, your comprehension's insane, good for you.
"Then try the second one," Xia Zhi said.
Xia Ci bent her head and flipped further.
"Huh… another Meditation Technique… feels similar to the last one, but more profound…" she muttered as she read.
When she finished, Xia Zhi asked, "Done?"
"Done."
"Well? Did you get it?"
"I understood most of it, but there's a small part I just can't wrap my head around… strange…"
Her brow furrowed.
Curious, Xia Zhen asked, "Strange how?"
Xia Ci lifted her head, eyes dazed. "I literally just read it, but unless I'm looking at the book again, I can't recall the exact details."
Xia Zhen gasped. "Seriously?"
Xia Zhi nodded. "Unless you fully learn it, you won't retain it. Read it a few more times."
"Alright."
Xia Ci read it three more times, then shut her eyes.
"This one runs automatically too. Same Effect, but my Dendro power's increasing dozens of times faster than before…"
Her eyes flew open, startled.
"This really is a treasure."
"The two after it are even better."
"Let me see!"
But there was only one book, so only one person could read at a time.
Reclining against the headboard, Xia Zhen smiled sweetly at Xia Zhi.
"Cousin."
"Mm?"
"Don't just stand there—come sit here."
"There's a chair."
"My bed's comfier… I don't think I slept well last night. My neck's sore…"
"So?"
"Could you give me a Massage?"
"…Alright."
Xia Zhen lay down, sighing in comfort as Xia Zhi's fingers pressed into the back of her neck.
Xia Ci glanced up once, then ducked back into the book.
It took her over thirty reads to master the [First Meditation Technique].
Still far fewer than Shenhe or Ganyu.
She tried meditating, and found its Effect was similar to the first two—but dozens of times stronger.
Across the room, her best friend was still happily Enjoying her Massage.
Xia Ci lifted her head, flipped further, and focused on the [Primal Meditation Technique].
Ten times. Twenty. Fifty…
This last one was ridiculously difficult. Much of it was unreadable to her. But strangely, each reread seemed to grant her a bit more understanding.
By the seventy-second time, it clicked.
So that's how it works!
Closing her eyes, she tried running it.
When she opened them again, disbelief flooded her gaze.
What kind of Meditation Technique was this?
It actually increased Divine Power?
And it did it automatically.
Snapping out of her shock, Xia Ci jumped up, dashed to Xia Zhi, threw her arms around his neck, and planted a hard kiss on him.
"Cousin!"
"What?"
"I love you to death!"
Feeling the Massage on her neck stop, Xia Zhen cracked her eyes open in irritation. "Couldn't you wait to love him later?"
"Nope." Xia Ci tossed the book onto her face. "Your turn to read."
"I don't feel like it."
"You sure? It increases Divine Power."
"Divine Power?!"
"And it runs on its own, keeps growing automatically. The earlier you learn, the sooner you grow stronger… but hey, up to you. I already learned it. If you don't, you're the one losing out."
"Cough, cough—losing out doesn't matter. I just… like reading, that's all."
"Heh…"
Xia Ci chuckled, tugged Xia Zhi over to her bed.
"Cousin."
"You didn't sleep well last night either, did you?"
"Not really."
"Knew it. Lie down, I'll Massage you too."
Compared to Xia Ci, Xia Zhen needed more rereads, but still far fewer than Shenhe and Ganyu.
After some time, she mastered all four Meditation Techniques as well.
When she felt their Effects firsthand, her eyes went wide with shock.
Her Divine Power was steadily increasing.
The feeling of getting stronger without even trying was incredible!
Xia Zhen spun around, leapt up, and hugged Xia Zhi's neck, giving him a fierce kiss.
"Cousin!"
"You love me to death too, huh?"
"Of course!"
Xia Zhen beamed.
Yep, sticking with Cousin was the way forward.
Inazuma was boring anyway.