Chapter 70

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

It's not easy to be a graduate student who loves learning.

Research takes time, experiments require funds, and both require energy. The completed thesis may not earn the professor's praise, and even if praised, it may not earn acclaim from the academic world.

In short, from the day one becomes a graduate student, most students' fantasies about a noble scientific research career officially end.

As if everything has become tedious physical labor.

Lu Fan hoped to achieve something.

Becoming Professor Lang's PhD student was his first attempt to rise, and writing an influential paper was the first step to success.

The abstract Chen Yi sent him, though simple, brightened his eyes.

Lu Fan's vision was still not bad.

Some papers, when you see the title and abstract, you know they will surely succeed—if the abstract isn't exaggerated.

Chen Yi looked at Lu Fan's eager gaze with an amused expression, patted his shoulder sympathetically, and said: "I just have some ideas, I want to ask you."

"This idea is good." Lu Fan immediately straightened his back and said: "Junior Brother, did you by any chance apply to the Archaeology Department? It has prospects, but you must pay attention: either paleontology or geology, don't study anthropology—it's bitter, tiring, dirty, not to mention disgusting to death."

Chen Yi said calmly: "I've already applied to the Finance Academy."

"What a pity." Lu Fan sighed and said: "Looking at your abstract, don't let it go to waste."

"It won't go to waste." Chen Yi rolled his eyes and said: "Wait until I remember, then I'll finish it."

He could wait, but Lu Fan couldn't.

Current PhD students face the problem of choosing a topic from the moment they enroll; if they really wait for the professor to assign one, they won't be able to find time for anything else within two to three years.

How could an ordinary PhD thesis topic compare with the paper Chen Yi found?

Lu Fan made up his mind and said reluctantly: "Junior Brother, why don't we try this topic together? Senior Brother here has some experience, responsible for writing, you just refine the arguments, and we'll do a major topic together. I guarantee at least publication in a top-tier foreign journal; how about you being the second author?"

Experiments need theoretical support, and theory needs to be valuable and correct theory. As a paper, the connection between them often determines its level. The honor of being second author is already rich enough for a student, let alone a foreign journal.

However, with the "Siren" application standards, anything less than a top-tier journal is considered downgraded. Unfortunately, Lu Fan's level couldn't reach that tier.

China doesn't have that many supercomputers for students to use.

Chen Yi didn't care about the title of the paper; he shook his head lightly and said: "I'm actually just interested as a hobby, I like watching paleontological excavations and such..."

"If there are any excavation sites in the future, I'll definitely bring you along." Lu Fan patted his chest with a bang-bang sound.

Chen Yi was then satisfied, but still shamelessly pondered for a long time and said: "Then let me go back and consider it, and bring out the outline to take a look."

Lu Fan almost wanted to nod his head off and said affirmatively: "That's great, I'll wait for you. Rest assured, although we don't have any fossils at hand, we've been to excavation sites quite a few times; when the time comes, bringing you along will definitely be convenient."

After the two finished their conversation, the bystanders had long since dispersed.

Chen Yi happily pulled his little sister and called Han Jie: "Come to my house for dinner; we must celebrate no matter what."

Han Jie originally disliked Jin Douna's appearance, but upon receiving the invitation she was very happy, her face breaking into a smile as she said: "Is Auntie coming home today?"

"I'll call her; I heard you're back, she'll definitely get off work early."

Han Jie quickly waved her hands: "No need to go out of your way; I'll make dinner."

The little sister nodded vigorously: "Han Jiejie's cooking is delicious. Right?"

She immediately threw herself onto Han Jie.

Stanik, who was about to leave, saw this scene with his busy brain, and it almost crashed. The handsome foreigner gained a new understanding of the task that had fallen on his head—no wonder it's an A-class mission, it's really difficult.

The three returned home; Han Jie skillfully went to the small annex next door to busy herself. Chen Yi and the little sister naturally followed to help, and incidentally called the family members back for dinner.

Even his elder brother Chen Heng, who was in the Military Region, took leave to return home.

Since the College Entrance Examination, the Chen family had a chance to turn things around; Chen Heng, still a low-ranking officer, suddenly became busy, as if countless tasks had fallen from the sky, allowing him to show himself.

Seeing the whole family happy and harmonious, Chen Father was extremely happy; he insisted on toasting with his eldest son and didn't let him go back to sleep until he was thoroughly drunk.

Chen Yi escaped a calamity; after dinner he sent Han Jie home, then secretly went to the Holy Qiao Kingdom to practice body techniques.

Back in the Holy Qiao Kingdom, beside Timothy and the Holy Knight stood a noble-looking gentleman.

Around thirty years old, well-maintained. A gentle and refined smile on his face, a top-wide bottom-narrow body proportion, naturally exuding a handsome man's aura—seeing which man, having such a natural sense of threat, was roughly this kind of aura.

Chen Yi looked at the other party with a scrutinizing gaze; the noble man quickly lowered his head obediently, knelt on one leg and said: "Master, I am Lanling, I will exert myself to serve you."

Whether in movement or tone, Lanling could be called neither humble nor arrogant, very graceful.

If on Earth, this would be a standard foreigner look.

Seeing the Master still only nodding, Timothy stepped forward and said: "Chen Master, Count Lanling is one of the most famous nobles of the Holy Qiao Kingdom; he has some unique aspects in body cultivation."

After he finished speaking, the Holy Knight also saluted and said: "Indeed so, Master; if you don't object, shall we try it?"

This Lanling was exactly the helper he found in Beijing who best met the requirements. A traditional-style profligate knight, famous for eating, drinking, whoring, gambling, and grace. In half a lifetime, the only thing he put great effort into was cultivating a good appearance, thus calling the wind and rain on Beijing's pleasure scene, making a name for himself.

In the normal world, an animal like Lanling falling into his hands would either die or lose a layer of skin. But to satisfy the Master's request, the Holy Knight Lord tried his best to bring him along.

Time was urgent; who knew how long the Master's patience would last.

Of course, Lanling's training method had been carefully examined by him and several Kingdom Knights. As long as they waited a while, Grendel would naturally research new methods based on this.

Better effect, more suitable for the overall planning of body techniques.

As one of the Four Great Holy Knights, Grendel was fully confident in this.

After doing two sets of warm-up exercises, Lanling stepped forward, bowed and said: "Master, my method is to simulate the generation of battle qi. You know, battle qi has the effect of reshaping the human body, but to cultivate battle qi, one must be a Kingdom Knight. So before possessing battle qi, how to achieve the effect of battle qi? Actually it's simple."

He said while extending two arms: "You see, the meridians of battle qi within the body are actually consistent with our movement direction; the special part is that battle qi usually maintains a gentle and even appearance."

He said while bending and extending his arms, his knees also slowly curling, his neck moving down then up, the movements very slow. According to his explanation, it was somewhat like the flow of bloodline.

Chen Yi suddenly laughed.

This appearance was truly too much like a turtle extending and retracting its head and limbs.

Count Lanling did not know why the Master was laughing, and performed the movements even more earnestly, saying: "Battle Qi in the bodies of Kingdom Knights gathers continuously in the heart like this, then radiates power throughout the body; its characteristics are evenness, long duration, and low burden on the body. Long-term cultivation can achieve the effect of Battle Qi body-forging."

This is called the Turtle Exercise.

After Chen Yi gave it a name, he couldn't help but laugh loudly.

After half a day passed, he explained in his own understanding: "Does this count as light weight, high-rep fitness training?"

Count Lanling was a cool cat among the dandies; thinking Chen Yi didn't value it, he hurriedly said: "This method has another benefit: it can make the body more slender, make muscles more defined. And maintain bodily health, not easily age, similar to Kingdom Knights who have grasped Battle Qi."

As he spoke, he gestured up and down with his hand.

His so-called slenderness was essentially streamlined.

Human muscle fibers are originally spindle-shaped, so half of them are naturally beautiful streamlined shapes.

Although Count Lanling spoke unclearly, Chen Yi had already understood, and asked: "How long does it take?"

"If 5 hours each time, about 10 to 20 times for effect."

"That's a bit long." He couldn't come to the Saint Qiao Kingdom every day, even though he had indeed been coming very frequently recently.

Additionally, whether doing the Turtle Exercise would damage his glorious image also needed consideration.

The Holy Knight Adult interjected: "We will continue to perfect it. Master."

He currently has 2000 youths using various cultivation methods and undergoing testing; researching a Body Technique skill is not difficult at all.

Chen Yi gave an "mm", kicked the two large boxes under his feet out, and said: "This time I brought some large bottles."

He was referring to the bulk-packed Essence.

The Mages released skills like Classification Technique; Count Lanling began moving on the Ground on his own. His arms continuously made extending and retracting movements, toward all Directions.

His legs also lifted and lowered from time to time, but the frequency was neat and uniform.

Chen Yi also had no patience to wait for the Mages to count all the papers, so he followed along and learned to do it, instantly discovering the difficulty seemed even greater than it looked.

Only heard Count Lanling continuously shouting outside the Crystal Screen: "Please Master a bit faster; please Master a bit slower."

In just half an hour, Chen Yi was somewhat exhausted.

Truly, being a good turtle is also not an easy matter.

However, with so many people watching, how could he lightly give up, so he could only grit his teeth and continue.

After the limit passed, it became a bit easier.

But after one hour, he felt difficulty again.

Then felt easy again.

The Saint Qiao Kingdom's Body Technique training is largely a process of continuously breaking through limits. Probably because survival on the Magic Continent is harsh, it makes them especially revere ascetic-style cultivation — whether the Holy Knight's method or Count Lanling's way, both belong to long-duration uninterrupted high-intensity exercise, not only fatiguing muscles but also causing mental exhaustion.

Fortunately they have various Potions to supplement; no wonder they have various Potions to supplement.

Another two hours passed; Chen Yi only felt his whole head swollen and heavy; he now discovered Count Lanling's practice seemed even more painful.

He forcefully suppressed a groan and said: "Count Lanling, do you usually cultivate like this too?"

"Correct." Count Lanling performed the same movements, seemingly not at ease either.

Chen Yi suddenly said: "Just for picking up girls, is it worth it?"

"Absolutely worth it." Count Lanling's face was full of devoutness.

The Holy Knight Adult coughed heavily twice.

Chen Yi laughed, suddenly feeling cultivation seemed to become easier; he couldn't help but let out a breath — looks like he broke through the limit again.

Breaking through limits several times in one evening; if not for applying "Naked Body Divine Oil", who knows how many injuries he would have suffered.

After doing another set of Turtle Exercise, Count Lanling slowly stopped retracting, smiling: "Master, today's cultivation is enough."

"Oh." Chen Yi panted heavily, stopped and leaned against the door.

Unexpectedly, the Crystal Screen silently opened before Chen Yi.

A row of names appeared there.

"Agility Scroll Level 4, Strength Scroll Level 4, Perception Scroll Level 4, Energy Recovery Potion Level 4, Green Breath Berry Grade 1 Quality……"

Without doubt, the things he could purchase increased again.

Timothy immediately stood up and saluted loudly: "Congratulations, Master."

Chen Yi gave an "mm" and asked first: "What are they used for?"

Count Lanling burst out laughing, then felt it was inappropriate and held it back: "Master, Green Breath Berry is a kind of Green Breath Oak fruit that can emit a pleasant Breath; take it out of the shell and eat it, and others smelling its Breath will generate a certain good feeling toward you — this is something Alchemists like."

A berry with a shell, does it still count as a berry?

"Those Wizards." Timothy immediately expressed his attitude toward Alchemists, then immediately said: "Does Master need it? Although Wizards are detestable, Green Breath Berry is still useful."

A berry that makes people generate good feelings — it really seems like a product of Wizards.

Chen Yi immediately nodded.

……