Lin Chen felt a bit helpless; he had traveled to this world too late.
He only crossed over half a year ago, and his older cousin had already been learning martial arts for two years. The family's savings were all spent on his cousin's martial arts education. The only reason he could attend the Martial Hall was because he threatened to do so with his life.
He had to learn martial arts.
Because in this world, there was no such thing as studying to gain fame; this was a martial arts world where martial artists were revered.
The powerful and wealthy were all martial artists.
Among all skills, learning martial arts was the highest.
However, the cost of learning martial arts was extremely high. Just the fee for the Martial Hall was ten taels, but Lin Chen's Linhu Village, because ten years ago an outstanding Martial Scholar emerged, was granted the benefit of free martial arts training.
Free for ten years, and this was the last year.
Lin Chen knew very well that if he missed this year, it would be even harder for him to learn martial arts. Earning ten taels was no easy feat, and the Martial Hall only accepted students under the age of sixteen. By next year, he would not meet the criteria.
Absorbing the original body's memories and understanding these circumstances, he threatened his grandfather with his life to learn martial arts, leading to an agreement with his grandfather.
If he could pass the examination at the Martial Hall in six months, the family would support him to continue learning martial arts. If he couldn't pass, he would give up.
Throughout this half year, his grandfather wouldn't give him money, only sending a few bags of grain to the Martial Hall at the start of the school year, exchanged for canteen meal coupons.
Lin Chen knew his grandfather's thoughts: without money, he couldn't eat meat to replenish Qi Blood, failing to meet the Martial Hall's six-month test requirements, and being eliminated back home would prevent him from continuing to pursue martial arts.
He knew that this agreement was very unfair to him, yet he still agreed.
If he didn't agree, his grandfather would definitely not have let him go to the Martial Hall.
He had no choice!
Lin Hui from his second uncle's family also once clamored to learn martial arts, but his grandfather sternly rebuked him, not even allowing him the opportunity to apply to the Martial Hall.
The children of Linhu Village could enter the Martial Hall for free, but they must have the patriarch's consent. The Lin Family hadn't split yet, and the power of the patriarch was in the hands of his grandfather.
If the grandfather didn't agree, he couldn't enter the Martial Hall.
After entering the Martial Hall, Lin Chen realized that learning martial arts was even more challenging than he had imagined.
Without money, it was really hard to move forward.
The fist technique taught by the Martial Hall, the Warm Sun Fist, had no combat practicality and was more like a gymnastics routine, designed to make their Qi Blood flow more smoothly and accelerate its growth.
But there was a condition, and nutrition had to be adequate. Besides eating well, one had to eat properly.
The canteen's beef was fifteen cents a pound, some students ate it every meal, and he hadn't bought it once so far.
Even so, he still did not give up.
One reason was that he had lived two lives and knew well that learning martial arts was his only chance to make a name for himself in this world, and he must not give it up.
Another reason was the panel that appeared when he traveled through.
[Name: Lin Chen]
[Occupation: Martial Artist]
[Qi Blood: 802/3000]
[Life Chart: [Natural Progress]: Martial Arts First Realm, Perseverance, Step by Step, Unstoppable, No Bottleneck Problem.]
Having read many web novels in his previous life, he understood that this was the golden finger brought by his traversal.
This panel was the motivation for his persistence.
Whenever he saw other students eating large pieces of meat while he was eating the free vegetables, he would pull up the panel, look at the changes in the Qi Blood value, and be filled with motivation again.
Though I dine without meat, I feast on the hope of tomorrow.
Even if the growth of Qi Blood was small, it was not stagnant.
Moreover, his Life Chart was [Natural Progress], and from the annotation of the Life Chart, he understood its strength.
Having read so many martial arts writings in his previous life, where countless geniuses were trapped at realm barriers unable to break through, he realized that without bottlenecks, he could surpass others.
The future was bright, and the road was tortuous. As long as he walked through this rugged road, a bright future awaited him.
...
...
At noon.
The students at the Martial Arts Arena were leaving in groups, while Lin Chen continued practicing the Warm Sun Fist.
Gu Fei accompanied him on the side.
Only after a quarter of an hour did Lin Chen finally stop his practice.
Without money to buy meat, he could only practice more.
Lin Chen was very grateful for his panel, allowing him to clearly see the growth of his Qi Blood.
When he first entered the Martial Hall, his Qi Blood was 500 points, and under a full stomach, it increased by 1 point every day.
Lin Chen clearly understood what caused the 1-point increase in Qi Blood.
At his age, as long as he was well-fed, Qi Blood would naturally grow.
And after a few days of testing the Warm Sun Fist, Lin Chen deduced a pattern. If he practiced for four two-hour sessions as required by the school, Qi Blood grew 5 points over three days. Excluding his own natural growth of 3 points, the Warm Sun Fist provided a 2-point Qi Blood boost.
If he practiced five two-hour sessions each day, Qi Blood increased by 2 points daily, totaling 6 points over three days.
This additional 1-point increase might be negligible to those from well-off families, but to him, it meant more progress and getting closer to reaching the exam target.
When Lin Chen and Gu Fei arrived at the canteen, some students were already leaving after their meal, and there were only a few people left at the serving window.
Students exchanged their grain for the corresponding amount of rice with the Martial Hall.
Vegetable dishes were free.
Meat dishes required money.
As usual, Lin Chen finished getting his rice and vegetables and went to the bucket of beef soup.
The canteen's beef soup was characteristic with beef slices that melted in the mouth, but it was free, so no students complained.
Looking at the nearly empty beef soup bucket, Lin Chen ladled a bowl for himself. He tended to visit the canteen later, not only to practice more but also to get a share of this free beef soup.
The canteen's beef soup was placed next to the meat dish window. Although free, it was essentially for students who bought meat, and the amount was cooked according to the pounds of beef.
If he rushed over to freeload a bowl of beef soup when the dining time began, students buying meat wouldn't have any soup left, which would certainly cause a commotion.
Only when the majority finished eating and there was leftover beef soup did he come to freeload a bowl, and nobody in the canteen minded.
"Always mooching off the free beef soup at the canteen, who would think you came to learn martial arts? People might think you're just here for free food and drink," remarked a student at the nearby table, in a sarcastic tone.
Turning a deaf ear to the mockery, Lin Chen didn't respond.
"Zhang Tao, what are you saying!"
Though Lin Chen ignored him, Gu Fei slammed the table.
"Did I say anything wrong? Can't even afford beef; what martial arts are you trying to learn?" The other student glared back fearlessly.
"No need to argue with him."
Lin Chen held Gu Fei back; the Martial Hall strictly prohibited students from fighting or brawling, with serious consequences.
He glanced coldly at the other student. If his golden finger was a genius cheat, he would have made Zhang Tao aware of his path to demise today.
Unfortunately, it wasn't.
Many students in the canteen turned to look upon hearing the argument, and when they saw it was Lin Chen, several showed mockery on their faces.
Lin Chen was quite well-known in the Martial Hall.
Not for good grades, but for being stingy!
Always mooching the free beef soup and vegetables.
According to those working in the canteen, over the years, Lin Chen was the only student who hadn't earned yet still cost the canteen a lot.
"Chen, I'm full. You can have the rest of this beef, or it'll go to waste."
Gu Fei pushed the half-plate of beef toward Lin Chen. Lin Chen knew Gu Fei had intentionally gotten more to give to him, though he usually refused.
"Alright, I won't hold back then."
"I really ate...," Gu Fei paused in surprise. Usually, Lin Chen refused when Gu Fei offered half his beef, and Gu Fei was just about to continue persuading, but Lin Chen accepted it this time.
So Zhang Tao's mockery was effective after all?