Xia Luyao looked around and noticed the curious gazes of the people nearby. She whispered, "Come with me for a moment." With that, she turned and walked towards an empty spot.
Lin Beichen watched her back, growing even more curious. He stepped forward to follow, wanting to know what Xia Luyao's intention was.
Their actions immediately sparked a buzz among the surrounding recruits, with a flurry of speculations and rumors spreading.
On the other side of the field, Xia Luyao stopped and turned to face Lin Beichen, getting straight to the point, "I called you over to ensure you'll compete fairly in this cross-country race."
Lin Beichen was taken aback for a moment, then understood her meaning, laughing, "Instructor Xia is worried I'll use a Divine Movement Talisman to cheat?"
Xia Luyao nodded, "Exactly, I don't want you to gain an advantage through external means."
Lin Beichen, hearing this, showed a helpless smile, "Instructor Xia, don't worry. This time I won't use a Divine Movement Talisman; I'll run with my own abilities."
Xia Luyao, hearing his words, had a gleam of satisfaction flash in her eyes, but she wouldn't relent easily. "Alright, let's see how your real skills measure up."
As the signal for the cross-country run sounded, the recruits shot off like arrows from a bow. Xia Luyao's gaze stayed locked on Lin Beichen, determined to witness his performance firsthand.
And indeed, Lin Beichen did not disappoint her. Among the many recruits, he emerged like an untethered wild horse, standing out impressively with speed that left others astounded.
Xia Luyao watched Lin Beichen's distant figure with growing astonishment. She hadn't expected that even without the Divine Movement Talisman, Lin Beichen's speed would be so remarkable.
She quickly got on a nearby motorcycle, giving chase. She wanted to see for herself how much untapped potential this enigmatic recruit still possessed.
As the cross-country run continued, Xia Luyao's curiosity and questions about Lin Beichen only grew, alongside her intrigue and anticipation. She knew that after this race, she'd understand him much better.
Xia Luyao sped on the motorcycle, initially thinking she'd easily catch up to Lin Beichen.
However, despite the motorcycle roaring for quite a while, Lin Beichen's figure remained elusive.
"This doesn't make sense, without using a Divine Movement Talisman, how can he run so fast?" Xia Luyao questioned with a furrowed brow, amping up the throttle to continue the pursuit.
At last, after racing for some time, Lin Beichen came into view.
"Hey, Instructor Xia, you finally made it," Lin Beichen said, hearing the motorcycle and spotting Xia Luyao, greeting her with a smile.
Xia Luyao fixed her gaze on Lin Beichen, filled with confusion. She had been watching him closely to ensure he hadn't used a Divine Movement Talisman, yet he still ran so swiftly.
"Lin Beichen, what kind of trick did you use?" Xia Luyao demanded.
"Trick? Me?" Lin Beichen pointed at himself innocently, "You've been watching me the whole time. Where would I have found the chance to use a talisman? Heaven bear witness, I truly didn't use a Divine Movement Talisman this time."
"Then how are you running so fast?" Xia Luyao scrutinized Lin Beichen in bewilderment.
Lin Beichen smiled calmly, and slowly said, "Instructor Xia, have you heard of the Qi Cultivation Method?"
"Qi Cultivation Method?" Xia Luyao raised her eyebrows, looking puzzled.
Seeing Xia Luyao's confusion, Lin Beichen explained, "The Qi Cultivation Method is a secret technique from the Daoist Sect. Cultivators say: Refining Essence into Qi, Qi Refining and Divinity Transformation, Refining Spirit and Returning Void, cultivating in this way can lead to endless longevity."
Xia Luyao listened, feeling lost, while Lin Beichen chuckled, simplifying, "It's just a Daoist cultivation method, similar to inner power cultivation from martial arts novels."
Xia Luyao nodded with vague understanding, then asked, "But isn't that just a plot from novels? Does it really exist in real life?"
Lin Beichen smiled mysteriously, "That's up to you to believe it or not."
This time, he hadn't used a Divine Movement Talisman but had cultivated the Supreme Nine Revolutions Profound Celestial Qi Cultivation Technique. Although he had only reached the first layer, the effects were already extraordinary. Flying Flower and Leaf Picking, Inner Qi Release, and Lightweight Qi Cultivation were no problem, and this 20-kilometer distance was nothing to him.
Xia Luyao listened and pouted in resignation, clearly not fully convinced by Lin Beichen's explanation.
"What? Instructor Xia doesn't believe me? How about we race?" Lin Beichen, noticing Xia Luyao's doubts, suggested with a smile.
"A race? Sure, I'd like to see your true strength!" Xia Luyao retorted with a snort, stopping the motorcycle to run alongside Lin Beichen.
The two of them chased each other, running swiftly. Though Xia Luyao excelled in endurance among special forces, she gradually struggled against Lin Beichen. Each time she was about to catch up, Lin Beichen would suddenly accelerate, leaving her far behind, repeatedly frustrating Xia Luyao.
With one kilometer left to the finish line, Xia Luyao finally couldn't hold on anymore, bending over to catch her breath heavily, feeling utterly depleted and her legs weighed down.
Lin Beichen doubled back to stand before her, smiling, "What's the matter, Instructor Xia? Can't run any longer?"
Xia Luyao looked up at the serene Lin Beichen, feeling disgruntled. Why was the gap so huge? She turned her head away, not wanting to acknowledge him.
Not bothered by her reaction, Lin Beichen just smiled and said, "Since Instructor Xia doesn't need my help, I'll take off then. But if those recruits catch up and see you like this, don't blame me for not warning you!" With that, he turned to resume running.
"Hey, wait!" Xia Luyao hurriedly called after him, biting her lip, embarrassed as she said, "Give me a hand."
She never expected she'd one day have to meekly ask for help from that scoundrel Lin Beichen, but not wanting to be the laughing stock of the recruits, she bit the bullet and did it.
Lin Beichen watched as a faint blush appeared on Xia Luyao's usually icy face, unsure if it was from embarrassment or the heat from running.
He chuckled lightly, crossing his arms casually over his chest, "Little disciple, shouldn't you call me Master in a situation like this?"
Xia Luyao was momentarily speechless. She had indeed agreed to such terms to learn martial arts before. Back then, she had called him that unwillingly; would she have to succumb again today?
"What, cat got your tongue? Well then, I'll just go, leaving you here to be the center of attention. How about that?" Lin Beichen said nonchalantly, feigning to leave.
"Mas... Master!" Xia Luyao ground her teeth and finally spoke. Just calling him Master, it wasn't the first time anyway; she decided to swallow her pride this once.
The corners of Lin Beichen's mouth unavoidably curved upwards, "That's more like it. Come on, little disciple, let Master take you along." He offered his hand to Xia Luyao.
Xia Luyao looked at Lin Beichen's outstretched hand, hesitating. Could he be trying to take advantage of her? But seeing his frank expression, she figured she might be overthinking it. She took a deep breath and placed her hand in Lin Beichen's.
Lin Beichen grasped her hand, feeling a slight surprise at its softness. He expected her hands to be tough, given her fighting prowess. However, he quickly quelled the odd sensation and pulled Xia Luyao along.
As Lin Beichen led Xia Luyao, she couldn't help but glance at his profile. She hadn't noticed before, but he was quite good-looking. Usually, his laid-back and teasing attitude overshadowed this.
"Little disciple, if you keep staring at me like that, I might get shy," Lin Beichen teased, sensing her gaze.
Xia Luyao snapped out of it, glaring at him, and pretended to be angry as she turned her head away.
With Lin Beichen's help, Xia Luyao finally completed the last kilometer. Once at the finish line, Lin Beichen released her hand. Despite the long run, he remained calm, while Xia Luyao was breathless.
"So, little disciple, you give up?" Lin Beichen asked with a smile.