"Tell me, is there any way in this world to quickly increase one's strength?" Jin Li couldn't help but ask.
"Quickly get stronger?" Several answers instantly came to Qi Yuan's mind.
Eat a devil fruit?Receive a master's direct transmission of power?Or... do push-ups.
In this world, there were no devil fruits, and no one who could directly transmit power.
"Doing push-ups can make you stronger," Qi Yuan enthusiastically said. "I know someone, very ordinary, nothing special, but he insisted on exercising every day—push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups.
As a result, it didn't take long for him to become stronger, though he did go bald."
"Exercise, push-ups? Sit-ups? Pull-ups? What are those?" Jin Li looked puzzled. "Are these supreme cultivation techniques?"
Seeing this, Qi Yuan was a bit surprised: "So, you're a girl who doesn't like exercising. Let me teach you how to exercise."
"Isn't that improper?" Jin Li thought Qi Yuan was about to teach her some supreme cultivation techniques.
"Don't worry, it's common stuff, very simple." Qi Yuan pondered for a moment, then spent about ten minutes teaching these exercises to Jin Li.
"These... can increase one's strength?" Jin Li found it unbelievable.
Because these movements were ordinary, not mystical at all.
But considering that carrying a ladder could get one into the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land, she thought it might be true.
"Well... actually, they can't. Maybe after ten years of practice, you could beat a wolf?" Qi Yuan said.
Jin Li was momentarily stunned, then she smiled: "These can be taught to ordinary soldiers."
"But it's not entirely impossible." Qi Yuan said, then took out the magic pen.
Now, the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land was under his control.
He could change the rules of the Forbidden Land.
"Then let's add that exercising can increase cultivation."
After thinking for a while, Qi Yuan wrote that doing "push-ups," "sit-ups," and other exercises would increase cultivation.
After writing, Qi Yuan was thoughtful.
"It's done... but it seems there might be some side effects?"
"Hair loss?"
"So... even when changing the rules, it's based on my understanding?"
"No, I need to be smart about this and not overthink it." Qi Yuan felt a headache and didn't delve further into the principles.
He quickly said to Jin Li: "In the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land, doing the exercises I mentioned can quickly increase your cultivation. Bring more people to increase strength and try to clear the levels soon to help me farm instances."
"Doing those exercises in the Forbidden Land can enhance strength?" Jin Li was a bit confused.
"Of course, why would I lie to you? But be mindful, doing these exercises too much can cause hair loss."
Jin Li was still somewhat puzzled.
Psychologically, she trusted Qi Yuan's words.
But logically and rationally, she felt Qi Yuan was talking nonsense.
As for the side effect of hair loss, she didn't pay much attention to it.
Compared to increasing cultivation, what was that?
However, after thinking for a while, she bit her red lips: "Thank you."
"I need to log off, it's too late." Qi Yuan said.
"Where are you going?" Jin Li asked.
"Seven Colors Peak, I'm a disciple of Shen Guang Sect." Qi Yuan finished speaking and logged off to sleep.
Jin Li, however, memorized the place Qi Yuan mentioned.
"Shen Guang Sect, Seven Colors Peak? Where is that?" Jin Li murmured.
But thinking about the method Qi Yuan provided to get stronger, although ridiculous and somewhat absurd, it was so absurd that Jin Li chose to believe and act on it.
"Someone, go to the Grand General's Residence!"
...
Night gradually fell.
A carriage stopped outside the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land.
Inside the carriage were Jin Li's trusted followers, including Aunt Qin.
They had traveled almost non-stop for a day and a night, without rest.
When tired, they slept in the carriage.
Finally, they arrived at the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land.
"Did you all remember what I told you?" Jin Li looked at the thirty or so people in front of her with a serious expression after getting off the carriage.
All thirty of them were her loyal followers who would die for her.
Aunt Qin was among them.
These people all nodded, showing no resistance to Jin Li's orders.
Aunt Qin held a ladder in her hands, lost in thought. She then asked: "Your Majesty, is the imperial medicine obtained from the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land? It seems Your Majesty has mastered the way to enter the Forbidden Land."
Looking at the Forbidden Land ahead, Aunt Qin was curious about how to get inside.
Would the ladder in her hands be of any use?
"Everyone, carry a ladder and enter the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land together. Remember, no matter what happens, do not drop the ladder."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
These followers, although puzzled, did as Jin Li instructed.
They didn't speak, but their faces were full of questions.
The commander of the Imperial Guard, Hua Xian, saw this and couldn't help but chuckle.
The first time she entered the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land this way, she was just as confused.
Later, when they entered, their expressions would surely be interesting.
Sure enough, when everyone carrying ladders entered the Forbidden Land without any hindrance, even the most well-trained Imperial Guards couldn't help but exclaim.
Hua Xian had a smug smile.
"Carrying a ladder allows entry into the Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land. This information was given to me by a friend. This matter must not be leaked!"
"Understood." These loyal followers all understood the seriousness of the matter.
They all felt incredulous.
The Xuan Yuan Forbidden Land hadn't been entered for thousands of years.
Why... carrying a ladder... could let one in?
Hadn't anyone tried this method in those thousands of years?
But then again, which emperor would be so idle to carry a ladder into the Forbidden Land?
But why did it work?
Did carrying a ladder have some special significance?
They were puzzled.
After entering the Forbidden Land, the group went deeper inside.
Jin Li spoke again: "Keep carrying the ladder, don't let go. Remember the exercises I taught you on the way here?"
"Yes."
"Organize yourselves. We will do those exercises in the Forbidden Land." Jin Li ordered.
Everyone present was bewildered.
Aunt Qin also asked: "Your Majesty, why are we doing this?"
"Aunt Qin, do you trust me?" Jin Li looked at Aunt Qin and said seriously.
"Of course, I trust what Your Majesty says."
"Doing these exercises..." Jin Li looked up at the sky, "can quickly increase our cultivation in the Forbidden Land."
"What?"
"Increase cultivation?"
If they weren't Jin Li's loyal followers, and if Jin Li wasn't the empress, if it were some keyboard warriors from Qi Yuan's previous world, they would surely start mocking.
Words like ridiculous and foolish would be thrown around.
But these loyal followers, though their faces showed incomprehension, didn't speak.
Aunt Qin felt the same.
This was even harder to accept than carrying a ladder to enter the Forbidden Land.
If cultivation were this simple, wouldn't the world be full of high-level cultivators?
Aunt Qin naturally didn't believe it in her heart, but she still said slowly: "This method of cultivation is indeed quite interesting. I wonder where Your Majesty learned it from."
"It was also told by that friend." Jin Li did not hide it.
"It seems that senior must be a powerful expert enjoying life." Aunt Qin murmured.
The words "enjoying life" reflected her thoughts.
However, she still carried the ladder and started doing push-ups: "Let this old body try and see the effect."
She took action.
Everyone present stopped what they were doing and looked at Aunt Qin.