After the monthly test concluded, it was already noon. Xue Jing stretched his wrists, placed the notebook with the test results in the office, and made his way to the cafeteria for a meal. After eating, he navigated through a few corridors and arrived at a door. He pushed it open, and a potent medicinal fragrance immediately greeted him.
The room resembled a traditional Chinese medicine store, with all four walls lined with countless built-in medicine cabinets. There were hundreds of compartments, each made of wine-red solid wood, with labels engraved on the outside indicating the type of medicine stored inside.
This was the medicine storage room of Canglong Dojo. In addition to the walls filled with medicine, the room's center held a large table for preparing medicine, cluttered with various instruments used for the process.
Xue Jing expertly picked up a scale from the table and began selecting the medicines he needed for the day from the cabinets. By the time he finished, the scale was heaped with ingredients. He took it to the medicine-mixing table and, following the steps Li Qi had taught him, began to prepare the secret body-refining medicine of the Canglong dojo.
Once the mixture was complete, Xue Jing transferred all the ingredients into a container that resembled an electric kettle. He poured in the appropriate amount of water, turned on the switch, and let it boil automatically.
With everything set, Xue Jing picked up the notebook and pen on the medicine preparation table, opened it, and carefully noted down the exact dosage of the medicines he had used.
Afterward, he compared it with the price list next to him, calculating that the day's preparation had cost around twelve thousand Zhuxia coins.
"Who among ordinary people can afford to practice martial arts..." Xue Jing sighed.
Half an hour later, a ding signaled that the secret medicine was ready.
Xue Jing picked up the nebulizer inhaler, which looked like a thermos, opened the lid, and poured the freshly boiled medicine into it. The black liquid emitted a strong, pungent odor, but Xue Jing's expression remained unchanged—he was already accustomed to it.
After pouring it in, Xue Jing left the medicine storage room, closed the door, and returned to his training room.
He set the nebulizer aside, took a deep breath, and began practicing the day's Armor-shaking exercise. This particular routine involved five sets of movements, with one set practiced daily, cycling through every five days. Today's practice was the "bone training" movement.
As Xue Jing performed the breathing technique, he moved into various complex postures, each more challenging than the last. By the end of each movement, his entire body would tremble as if a real dragon were shaking its armor, accompanied by the sound of countless bones grinding together, like distant thunder rumbling through stormy skies.
The intense stinging and burning sensations deep within his bone marrow were excruciating, but Xue Jing maintained his focus, practicing the Armor-shaking Technique methodically and with determination.
He lost track of time.
With the final tremor, the sound of cracking bones echoed through the room. Xue Jing slowly steadied his breathing and stood still.
A vague realization dawned on him—something intangible yet significant had been revealed through this practice, but it slipped away before he could fully grasp it.
"Master said this bone training movement corresponds to 'Sealing Cloud Tail,' one of the five ultimate moves of the Hidden Dragon Style. It involves using one's strong bones to absorb and bear the enemy's force, adding it to one's own strength, and then unleashing a counterattack."
"If I could engage in a sufficiently intense actual battle, perhaps I could catch that fleeting insight..." Xue Jing mused.
Shaking his head, he picked up the nebulizer inhaler beside him, put it on, pressed the switch, and began inhaling the light black mist into his lungs while practicing the corresponding breathing technique.
As he continued the breathing method, Xue Jing opened his status panel to check his progress.
Status Panel:
Fitness Lv 6 (2108/3000)
Health Preservation Lv 4 (669/1200)
Cooking Skills Lv4 (681/1200)
Running Lv 5 (1821/2000)
Charm Lv 5 (335/2000)
Aiming Lv5 (227/2000)
Fighting Lv5 (785/2000)
Strength Level 6 (733/3000)
Visualization Lv3 (337/800)
Over the past seven or eight days, he had focused intensely on martial arts and skill improvement, yielding significant progress.
His aiming skill had leveled up to Lv5, enhancing his accuracy, vision, and reaction speed. Combined with daily practical training with Senior Sister Meng, his fighting skills had also improved.
His visualization had reached a higher level during his practice of the Dragon Hibernation Technique, strengthening his consciousness and mental abilities. The "dragon energy" within him had grown increasingly potent.
Additionally, there were benefits that weren't directly reflected in the panel.
For example, his mastery of soft power was not only due to improved technique but also heavily influenced by the "blood training" of the Armor-shaking Technique.
Blood is the source of human power. The cleaner and more efficient the blood circulation, the smoother it becomes, akin to lubricating gears, and enhancing performance.
After staring at the sublimation conditions of [Fitness] for a while, Xue Jing closed his eyes and concentrated on practicing the breathing method, absorbing the medicinal mist in silence.
---
Meanwhile, in a villa in the North City District:
Pei Youguang sat uncomfortably on a sofa in the corner of a spacious and luxurious living room. He couldn't help but glance at the group of people sitting in a circle in the room, chatting and laughing, with a complex expression on his face.
He felt out of place, almost as if he didn't belong there.
Pei Youguang's gaze lingered on a handsome young man at the center of the group. The man wore a simple casual outfit that somehow enhanced his presence rather than diminishing it. His clean, handsome face was lit with a warm smile as he conversed with the group of wealthy and influential men and women. Despite his unassuming appearance, he commanded respect and attention, becoming the focal point of the gathering.
In his simple attire, he looked as if he were dressed in the finest banquet wear.
'Only someone like my elder brother deserves to be here...' Pei Youguang sighed, looking dazedly at his elder brother, Pei Tiancheng.
For some reason, he suddenly thought of another figure.
"Hmm... if it were Brother Jing, maybe he could compete with Big Brother," he thought to himself.
Speaking of which, he hadn't seen Brother Jing in a while. He had been on leave recently and hadn't attended school for several days.
Pei Youguang had only met him once at school, and during their conversation, Xue Jing had mentioned that he had joined a dojo and become a direct disciple—a position Pei Youguang envied deeply.
"Youguang, why are you sitting so far away? Come over here, I have something to tell you."
Pei Tiancheng's gentle voice broke through his thoughts.
Startled, Pei Youguang quickly stood up, walked over to his brother, and found a seat nearby. In his haste, he accidentally squeezed in next to a girl with delicate makeup. She rolled her eyes, clicked her tongue in disdain, and seemed ready to say something, but held back when she noticed Pei Tiancheng.
"Tomorrow is Young Master Ye's banquet. Remember to dress appropriately and don't embarrass the Pei family," Pei Tiancheng said, his voice gentle yet authoritative.
"Ah? I have to go too?" Pei Youguang asked, his face showing a hint of embarrassment.
'What was he going to do there? Be a side character?'
A well-dressed man on the sofa chuckled. "Mr. Pei's brother is a handsome young man. How could he possibly embarrass the family?"
"But the hotel where the banquet is being held is reportedly haunted by a murderer. If there's any danger, Master Pei, don't just focus on protecting your own brother. Don't forget about us, your foster brothers and sisters."
The room burst into laughter at the joke, and when they mentioned the murderer, everyone looked more excited than fearful. The prospect of holding a banquet in a hotel where a murderer might be lurking was thrilling, like something straight out of a detective novel.
Pei Tiancheng laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry, everyone. Though I'm not extensively trained, I have some skills. I don't take cowards who prey on weak women seriously."
His tone remained gentle, but there was an undeniable confidence beneath it.
"I assure you, tomorrow night's party will be wonderful, and nothing unexpected will happen."