Chapter 87

Chapter 8: Fourth-tier Power

…

(PS: The previous chapter has been temporarily blocked. Don’t worry if you haven’t read it yet, it should be unblocked tomorrow.)

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Nope, it might just be the sleepwear was too small. After all, it’s summer sleepwear, thin and form-fitting. So when the little bunnies grow a bit… so that means they did grow, right?

Bai Ling took a gentle breath, the air still carrying the lingering scent of flowers and lemonade from the maiden.

Roughly estimating and manually checking, it’s about B+ now—half a tier more than before, one and a half tiers higher than her past life’s A.

The white-haired maiden quietly sighed in relief; at least she hadn’t reached the level of a busty girl. Starting today, she couldn’t indulge in food with Yuan Xiaoling anymore. Time to eat more vegetables.

She put on her regular clothes, carefully hid the buttonless sleepwear along with its buttons, then went downstairs for lunch.

“Good morning, Xiao Bai,” Yuan Weicheng greeted her while looking at his mobile phone on the sofa, “Even though it’s already noon.”

“Uncle, Aunt, good morning.”

After greeting them, Bai Ling sat quietly on the sofa waiting for the meal.

By the way, where’s Yuan Xiaoling?

Yuan Xiaoling was still outside the courtyard. However, when Bai Ling came downstairs earlier, the blonde busty girl had secretly observed through the window beside the stairs.

She muttered to herself, after injecting so much last night, how come it only grew this much? Could it be not enough?

[Ding dong, reminder to the host, the female lead has reached her short-term limit. Next time will be in seven days.]

Just this little bit for the limit?

[It’s already quite a lot, and following the law of diminishing returns, growth is fastest and most noticeable in the early stages. After reaching C, it will start to slow down.]

“But didn’t you say a year would be enough? If it’s this slow, could she become like me in a year?”

[Ding dong, reminder to the host, the reward “Milk-white Snow Girl” does not help someone with nothing reach the host’s level. The host has exceptional talent, and only with this foundation combined with the reward can such… grandeur be achieved.]

“So you mean Bai Ling lacks talent?” Yuan Xiaoling blinked her eyes, “Then how far can she go?”

[Around D+. This reward itself enhances shape, skin color, and vitality comprehensively, not merely increasing size.]

“I see, okay.”

Yuan Xiaoling recalled Bai Ling’s gesture of pinching her collar last night and couldn’t help but pout slightly.

“You’re truly a woman who doesn’t show off her assets.”

Back inside, the family ate lunch. Since Bai Ling wasn’t around in the morning, Qu Wan casually asked a few questions.

“How did Xiao Bai Ling sleep last night?”

“…Still okay.”

“Looks like you woke up at noon, are you awake now?”

“I’m awake.”

Qu Wan didn’t think much of it, assuming Bai Ling was just tired from studying for the final exams recently, and sleeping in during the holidays was normal.

But Yuan Weicheng seemed to sense something… but that wasn’t right. His daughter didn’t ask him to cover for her yesterday, and there was no sound last night.

Maybe she stayed up late playing games, he occasionally does that too.

Yuan Weicheng stopped thinking about it and spoke about the main matter: “I’ve asked the Yuans, they have a gathering this weekend. Do you want to go ahead or wait until then?”

Yuan Xiaoling thought for a moment and quickly made a decision: “Let’s go ahead.”

If she went on the day of the weekend, by then the Yuan Family Compound would already be crowded with people, including those relatives with improper intentions towards her. Once she entered, everyone would give her their attention, then a few men of only two or three tiers would confidently step forward to display their masculinity… how awkward.

Worse yet, it being her first visit to the Yuan family, unfamiliar with the place, she’d need someone to guide her, which would surely invite them to approach her.

“I thought so too, you go a day earlier to get familiar with the environment,” Yuan Weicheng said, “You haven’t been back to the compound for a long time.”

Thus, it was decided to leave early tomorrow morning.

After eating, Yuan Xiaoling disappeared again, Bai Ling didn’t rush, silently returning to the young lady’s room, absentmindedly reading a book.

This trip to the Yuan family also carried some risk for her, hoping to gain something.

For instance, the secret to ascending beyond the sixth tier, reputedly impossible to break through purely by human effort in her past life.

…

Yuan Xiaoling wasn’t wandering aimlessly; she just found an empty place to practice her fourth-tier abilities.

“Hundred Birds Transformation!”

Water elements surged together on the ground, condensing into soldiers. A frog appeared first, followed by a turkey, peacock, bear… and a snow leopard, each as large as two people.

“Ribbit!”

“Cluck cluck.”

“Neigh!”

For a moment, the backyard resembled a zoo, filled with various watery calls.

“That’s enough, enough, let’s settle down after having some fun,” Yuan Xiaoling waved her hand, “Quiet down, let me think.”

Her animal friends stopped calling out, lining up in a row, their translucent bodies dripping water.

“The formation speed has increased significantly. Originally, forming all five would take almost a minute, but now it only takes ten seconds.”

This was Yuan Xiaoling’s most commonly used move, and she was very sensitive to its changes. Besides, this change was already significant, much greater than Bai Ling going from B to B+.

[Ding dong, upon reaching the fourth tier, one can master the Tide Force. The fourth tier is only the initial stage of the tide, the fifth tier will be faster.]

“But don’t I already have it?” Yuan Xiaoling questioned, “My Tide Combat Techniques, Thirteen Styles of Tide…”

[It’s the proper kind, please host, tone down the perverted vibes.]

The system first expressed disdain in an emotionless tone, then explained: [Before the fourth tier, any water-type ability user needs a process to use skills: first mobilize spiritual power, convert it into water elements over a period of time, then control these water elements to release skills.]

“Uh-huh,” Yuan Xiaoling nodded, “That’s correct.”

She could feel it since she used it often.

[However, once you possess the Tide Force, the first half of the steps can be skipped. Tides rise and fall, you can directly “borrow” the necessary water elements, and after the battle, slowly deduct the spiritual power you should have paid. Of course, there will be some interest.]

Yuan Xiaoling thought for a while, her intelligent eyes blinking, “Like borrowing money?”

This time, she truly understood.

Originally, one needed to convert personal spiritual power into water elements, but now one could directly borrow water elements, and after using them, deduct the spiritual power originally required for conversion from the body.

For example, using skills is like recharging a game. Before the fourth tier, it was like buying recharge cards at a newsstand when you were a kid. After the fourth tier, it’s like using Huabei (Ant Financial’s credit service) for direct recharges now.

[Ding dong, the host understands well. Because there is borrowing and returning, the Tide Force is also called the “Tide Agreement.” Water-type ability users generally use it cautiously because the “Returning Tide” phase requires paying extra interest. If unable to pay back, it will backfire on oneself. Therefore, it’s usually used for surprise attacks, and once the Tide Agreement is activated, it means one cannot unleash full power.]

[The host’s water type is the core Water Dragon LORD, with exceptionally powerful recovery abilities. Even if full power is used in battle, the post-battle recovery speed can meet the interest requirements.]

“So I am the King… Queen of Tides,” Yuan Xiaoling clenched her little fists, turning back to look at her seven animal friends, feeling rather invigorated, “I’ve completely understood!”

So strong, a huge enhancement, worthy of all the tactics she meticulously thought out, dressed in numerous revealing outfits, and achieved through wisdom and effort!

She originally wanted to try the “True Dragon Manifestation,” but the Water Dragon LORD was too big, now with a +50% increase in size, summoning it might flood the house.

Not to mention, “Ling Ling comes home causing a flood and destroys her own house,” sounds weird even hearing it.

“Well, that’s it for today, friends, see you next time.”

Yuan Xiaoling waved her hand, and the seven animal friends turned into streams of water, then dissolved into scattered spiritual energy disappearing into the air.

After finishing, the “Tide” part of the Tide Force was over, and now the “Xie” began. The blonde busty girl stood by the wall, closed her eyes, and silently sensed the changes in her spiritual power within her body.

“About 30% interest.” She concluded.

For other water-type ability users, it meant exchanging 30% of the total spiritual power used in battle for a +70% spell-casting speed boost. But for the Water Dragon Queen, it was unconditional +70% spell-casting speed.

Already won.

After finishing the experiment, Yuan Xiaoling tidied up a bit and happily returned to sleep.

Upon entering the door, she saw Bai Ling’s cold gaze.

“You’re back.”

“I’m back.”

Yuan Xiaoling instinctively replied, then realized something was off: “Shouldn’t I be back?”

“I thought you’d feel guilty, sneak around quietly, pretend to know nothing, change the subject upon return, then go to sleep,” Bai Ling said expressionlessly, “so-called ‘getting away with it.'”

Yuan Xiaoling innocently blinked her eyes, “But I didn’t do anything wrong, why should I try to get away with it?”

What you’re doing now is precisely selling cuteness.

Bai Ling snorted and patted the bedsheet. Seeing this action, Yuan Xiaoling understood.

Was she found out?

“This must be a misunderstanding somewhere, maybe I didn’t think clearly at the time. Mistakes of the past cannot be corrected, but future actions can be improved,” Yuan Xiaoling took off her dress and climbed into bed, “I think we should sleep… a pure sleep, and we’ll definitely come up with a good plan later.”

“No need to think. Go downstairs now and tell uncle to take aunt out for a candlelight dinner, and we can proceed normally.”

“No way, dinner’s already done, going out again wouldn’t be good. Besides, we have to go to the Yuan family early tomorrow, we need to rest well.”

Yuan Xiaoling maintained a serious demeanor, as if deeply considered, making the most mature suggestion.

Bai Ling didn’t force her, just chuckled softly.

Alright, if you don’t repay now, you owe it, and I’ll collect interest. When I figure out a plan, it won’t be as simple as doing it normally once or twice.

Bai Ling kept these thoughts to herself, not letting Yuan Xiaoling detect even a hint, harmoniously crawling into the blanket to sleep together as usual.

Zzzz