The next day!
Lin Chen woke up and stared at the increase in Qi and Blood on his panel, stunned for several breaths.
[Name: Lin Chen]
[Profession: Martial Artist]
[Qi and Blood: 2545/3000]
[Fate: [Following the Natural Course]: At the first realm of martial arts, persevere steadily, advance step by step, surge forward like a breaking force, with no bottlenecks.]
The increase in Qi and Blood had gone up by another 2 points, reaching 32 points.
His diet hadn't changed, yet his Qi and Blood had increased—there was only one explanation.
"'Surging Like a Breaking Force' has taken effect!"
Lin Chen was overjoyed. If that was the case, didn't that mean he could reach the three-thousand Qi and Blood threshold and cultivate essence this very month?
…
…
The second day.
[Qi and Blood: 2579/3000]
Qi and Blood increased by 34 points.
Now, Lin Chen could be certain that his Fate had entered the [Surging Like a Breaking Force] stage.
Catching up to Lu Yongfeng and Cheng Ying was only a matter of time.
…
…
The third day.
Yu Yongnian suddenly spoke up: "Lin Chen, lift a stone pier."
Lin Chen was taken aback. He hadn't planned to lift a stone pier every time his strength increased by ten jin—he was planning to save it all for one big breakthrough.
But since the instructor had spoken, he naturally wouldn't refuse.
In the courtyard, there were quite a few more stone piers than two days ago, all weighing over five hundred jin.
Lin Chen glanced at his Qi and Blood value [Qi and Blood: 2615/3000], thought for a moment, skipped over the five-hundred-and-ten-jin one, and walked straight to the five-hundred-and-twenty-jin stone pier.
This move caused Lu Yongfeng and the other five to stop once again.
Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.
From the moment Yu Yongnian told Lin Chen to lift a stone pier, the two of them had been carefully observing Lin Chen. Very quickly, they understood why Yu Yongnian had made that request.
Judging from Lin Chen's Qi and Blood state, his strength really might have reached five hundred and ten jin.
But Lin Chen had gone straight for five hundred and twenty jin—had they misjudged?
"Could he really lift it this time?" Yan Dexing's words carried a hint of sourness, but before anyone else could respond, Lin Chen had already lifted the stone pier.
Lu Yongfeng, who had been about to speak, pressed his lips together. The next moment, he silently swept his right leg out.
He had already broken through the Qi and Blood blockage in his right arm, and was now working on the joint in his right leg.
"Not bad. Keep training," Yu Yongnian said calmly.
Hearing that "not bad," Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen rolled their eyes inwardly.
This was just "not bad"?
In their seven or eight years at the Martial Hall, this was the first time they had ever seen a freak like Lin Chen.
What was this—did you suffer bitterness early on and now everything afterward was sweetness?
Night fell.
After the dining hall delivered the food, the three instructors left as usual, leaving only Lin Chen and the other six still training harder.
A quarter hour, half an hour, an hour…
Seeing that Lu Yongfeng and the others still hadn't stopped, Lin Chen felt puzzled. So none of you are sleeping tonight?
After thinking about it, Lin Chen decided to speak up and advise them—these guys shouldn't train themselves into going berserk.
"Senior brothers, this junior believes martial training shouldn't be excessive. You still need proper rest, or it'll affect your condition tomorrow."
No one answered him. Even Zhao Jingchuan, who had always treated him the best, was training silently.
Having gained nothing but awkwardness, Lin Chen could only sigh helplessly and head back to the dormitory alone.
As he turned and walked out of the courtyard, Lu Yongfeng and the others stopped in unison. The five exchanged looks, and Yan Dexing spoke up: "He's only at five hundred and twenty jin. There's still a gap between him and us."
"That's right. The further you go, the harder it gets. We're already at five hundred and ninety—he can't catch up," Xu Botao added.
Lu Yongfeng looked up at the bright moon overhead and said, "Soon. I can already feel it—I'm about to cultivate essence."
…
…
The fourth day.
Qi and Blood increased by 38 points.
The fifth day.
Qi and Blood increased by 40 points. Lin Chen lifted the five-hundred-and-thirty-jin stone pier.
That night, Lu Yongfeng and the others trained an extra quarter hour.
Yan Dexing continued, "There's still a gap between him and us."
The sixth day, Qi and Blood increased by 42 points. Lin Chen lifted the five-hundred-and-forty-jin stone pier.
Late at night.
Yan Dexing: "There's still… still… some gap between him and us."
Lu Yongfeng: …
Lin Chen had no idea about the mental changes Yan Dexing and the others were going through. These past few days, he had been immersed in the bodily changes brought by his rapidly increasing Qi and Blood.
Every punch was stronger than the last.
This feeling was simply too wonderful.
On the seventh day, Lin Chen lifted the five-hundred-and-fifty-jin stone pier.
On the eighth day, his Qi and Blood reached [2822/3000], and he once again lifted the five-hundred-and-sixty-jin stone pier.
On the ninth day, the five-hundred-and-seventy-jin stone pier.
On the tenth day, the five-hundred-and-eighty-jin stone pier.
Late at night.
After Lin Chen left, Yan Dexing said, "He… and we…"
Lu Yongfeng: "Shut up!"
Yan Dexing stammered a bit before saying, "What I meant is, there's no gap between him and us anymore."
Since everything he said before had ended up slapping his own face, this time he decided to say the opposite.
Sure enough—clever as he was.
The eleventh day.
Lin Chen lifted the five-hundred-and-ninety-jin stone pier.
Lu Yongfeng and the others were completely numb.
They even started to wonder whether Lin Chen was practicing the same martial art as they were.
For them, the further they went, the harder it became. Why did it seem to get easier and easier for Lin Chen?
Was this stone pier made of tofu or something?
Yan Dexing couldn't help walking over and kicking the stone pier with his foot.
It hurt. It was real.
The three instructors—Yu Yongnian included—had complicated feelings these days as well.
Every time Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen left the courtyard, they would pester Yu Yongnian, asking whether he had given Lin Chen some kind of martial elixir.
They asked so often that Yu Yongnian himself began to doubt it.
Had he given Lin Chen a martial elixir?
Was he really getting old and forgetful?
"Give me three more days… just three more days and I'll cultivate essence," Lu Yongfeng muttered like a machine, repeating the same words over and over. Zhao Jingchuan looked at him with pity in his eyes.
It was useless.
At this rate, Lin Chen would cultivate essence in just one more day.
That night!
Wild winds howled through the rear courtyard!
But it wasn't cold wind—it was fist wind.
Lu Yongfeng and the others' fists and kicks were moving so fast they blurred together.
No matter how cold the night wind was, could it be colder than their hearts?
"Brother Lu, not sleeping tonight?" someone asked.
"Not sleeping," Lu Yongfeng gritted his teeth. He couldn't let Lin Chen surpass him just like that.
In the end, Zhao Jingchuan and the others left as well, leaving only Lu Yongfeng alone, drenched in sweat, still throwing punches.
…
…
Early the next morning.
Rising at the rooster's crow.
The instant Lin Chen opened his eyes, he saw the change on his panel.
[Name: Lin Chen]
[Profession: Martial Artist]
[Qi and Blood: 3000/3000]
[Fate: [Following the Natural Course]: At the first realm of martial arts, persevere steadily, advance step by step, surge forward like a breaking force, with no bottlenecks.]
After ten months of bitter training, his Qi and Blood had finally reached the mark today.
Lu Yongfeng, Cheng Ying…
He had finally achieved his comeback.
…
…
In the dormitory, Gu Fei was no longer there.
Ever since the day Lin Chen had been taken away for special training by the instructors, Gu Fei had returned to the village. In his words: "Chen, you don't even go to the training ground anymore. Staying there alone is boring. Training拳 at home is the same."
Lin Chen washed up and headed to the rear courtyard.
When he entered, Lu Yongfeng and the others were already there. What puzzled him, however, was that Lu Yongfeng wasn't training—instead, he was sitting at the stone table, eyes bleary.
Though confused, Lin Chen still began practicing his punches as usual.
His Qi and Blood had already reached the threshold—today, he might cultivate essence.
As the morning sun rose, faint rays of dawn seemed to surround Lin Chen. He took a deep breath, slowly raised his fists to shoulder height, then threw a punch. His entire Qi and Blood surged, as if rivers were roaring within his body.
Each punch carried a deep, powerful whoosh, the air itself seeming to tear under the force.
The commotion drew the attention of Zhao Jingchuan and the others.
Their punches also carried wind, but Lin Chen's fist wind at this moment made their hearts tremble. Lu Yongfeng's bleary eyes sharpened instantly, locking tightly onto Lin Chen.
At this moment, Lin Chen was unaware of their reactions. This round of training completely immersed him. Qi and Blood circulated faster and faster within his body, bringing a sense of exhilaration and comfort he had never experienced before.
His breathing grew deep and rhythmic. With every inhale and exhale, his entire body resonated.
"He's breaking through to refine essence!"
At some point, Yu Yongnian and the other two instructors appeared at the courtyard gate. None of them stepped inside. At such a critical moment of condensing essence, they naturally didn't want to disturb him.
One round, two rounds, three rounds…
Even Lin Chen himself had lost count of how many times he had gone through the routine. It was as if his body was acting on instinct alone, driving him to move faster and faster. Fist shadows overlapped like a raging storm, while inside his body, Qi and Blood burned like ignited flames, relentlessly crashing against every limit.
Suddenly—
After another all-out punch, Lin Chen felt an unprecedented power erupt within him, as if something inside shattered with a thunderous crash—
That was the great barrier of essence!
As the barrier broke, Lin Chen's eyes lit up, clear and profound. He felt a warm current flow through his limbs and bones, then converge in his abdomen, circulating endlessly.
Lin Chen slowly withdrew his fists and stood upright like a pine, a faint yet unmistakable aura surrounding him.
Vigorous as a dragon or tiger, essence brimming, Qi and Blood imposing!
This was the sign of cultivating essence.
"Hahaha!"
Yu Yongnian burst into hearty laughter, his voice filled with satisfaction.
He couldn't be more satisfied with Lin Chen.
"In one month, from four hundred jin to cultivating essence—even those noble youths from the county wouldn't be much better!" Instructor Liu exclaimed with emotion.
Lin Chen clasped his fists and spoke sincerely: "This disciple thanks the three instructors for your cultivation. Being able to take even a small step on the martial path, I will forever remember the grace of the three instructors."
He owed his smooth breakthrough primarily to Instructor Yu. That debt of gratitude he kept in his heart—there was no need to single it out now.
Beside them, Lu Yongfeng and the other five fell silent as a group.
In the end, Zhao Jingchuan was the first to speak: "Junior Brother Lin… no, I should call you Senior Brother Lin now. Congratulations, Senior Brother Lin."
The Martial Hall's students were all of similar age, and seniority was determined by strength.
Now, Lin Chen was unquestionably the eldest senior brother.