Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Too Much Qi and Blood Value?
As the sun was just beginning to rise, its golden thread burning through the boundless night.
Yang Shen appeared on the Celestial Platform, right on time.
He didn’t rush into his fist practice. Instead, he stared directly at the rising sun, which was not yet blinding, and felt the ethereal yet tangible "Fist Intent."
Rising Sun Fist Intent. The name was a little embarrassing for the young man to say out loud, but he liked it.
Director Liang had said that Fist Intent was a combination of one’s Martial Arts and personal will. It incorporated a part of a Martial Artist’s thoughts and beliefs, and once formed, it would also influence their personality.
Since it was an extension of his own will, it didn’t matter whether the influence was good or bad. However, if he deliberately avoided it or chose to act in a contradictory manner, his Martial Dao Will would gradually dissipate.
The same would happen if he suffered a major blow or a drastic change in temperament.
This was the meaning behind a so-called "shattered Dao Heart."
When half of the rising sun’s red disk was visible, Yang Shen began practicing the Sixth Set of Initial Realm Body Refining Fist at just the right moment.
In Cultivation, the miraculous aspects had yet to manifest in the first few levels of the Qi Cultivation Stage. The main function of Spiritual Qi was simply to improve one’s physical constitution. This allowed him to practice Cultivation and Martial Arts simultaneously, two different paths leading to the same result, ensuring none of his efforts went to waste!
Arms like powerful dragons, waist like an old vine, stance firm as a bell, his fists hammering his own body.
Compared to the last time, Yang Shen now had three times the amount of Qi and Blood Value stored up! He felt like an overinflated balloon, in desperate need of a way to quickly digest his overnight gains.
Without the support of his Fist Intent, it would likely take him a whole week to digest these 15 points of Qi and Blood Value at his current level. But with the Rising Sun Fist Intent, he was confident he could absorb it all in just three days!
A thin layer of sweat gradually beaded on the young man’s skin as Yang Shen once again entered a state of complete immersion.
He didn’t stop until the rising sun became too bright to look at, stinging his eyes...
’It feels like... I was able to ’watch’ it for longer than before... Have my eyes gotten stronger too?’
He brought his hands together, level, and lowered them from between his brows, finally exhaling a hot breath as they reached his Dantian. Yang Shen took a moment to feel his gains for the day.
’Fifteen points of Qi and Blood Value... I really can’t digest it all in one morning. And tomorrow, there will be another five points.’
For the first time in his seventeen years of life, Yang Shen had the problem of having too much Qi and Blood Value.
’If only I could exchange this excess Qi and Blood Value for money...’
He could perform an External Output of his "Spiritual Qi," or "Source," but it seemed to be fucking useless. Other people couldn’t absorb it, and neither could objects.
Yang Shen hadn’t yet thought of a suitable way to make money. He had set the goal, but a high schooler’s understanding of the world, and the parts of society he could access, were still far too limited.
In other words, there just weren’t many money-making opportunities available to a high school student to begin with.
——————
It was Saturday, and a restless energy filled Senior Class Six. After a long week of hard work, their rare one-day weekend was almost here, and many students were having trouble paying attention in class.
"Yang Shen! A few of us are hitting up the internet cafe tomorrow for some team games. You in?"
During the ten-minute break between classes, a group of boys were making plans. One of them turned to invite Yang Shen.
Yang Shen, who was busy working on a test paper, shook his head. "Can’t. I’ve got something to do tomorrow."
’For example, I’m broke tomorrow.’
’And the day after, and the day after that.’
The boys looked a little disappointed. Only Huang Gang let out a sigh of relief. If Yang Shen went...
...then he wouldn’t be able to.
After all, he still owed Yang Shen two meals.
A moment later, another boy came over and invited Yang Shen to play basketball the next day. This probably wouldn’t cost any money, but Yang Shen still refused. He’d rather use the energy for Body Forging to digest his explosive increase in Qi and Blood Value.
Yang Shen vaguely felt like he was becoming more popular in class, or at least that his presence was more strongly felt.
For a long time, he had rarely participated in off-campus gatherings because of his limited allowance, and over time, his social circle had narrowed.
But after his impressive performance in the combat assessment, his social standing and presence in the class had increased significantly.
’Is this what it feels like to be a top student?’ Yang Shen glanced to his side.
Xu Bamboo was hunched over her desk, a language arts book clutched to her chest as she wrote.
Her slender hands were mostly hidden in the sleeves of her school uniform, with only a few pink, petal-like fingernails visible, gripping her pen.
She looked so quiet and gentle; not at all like an expert in the early stage of Marrow Refining.
Yang Shen watched her for a moment. Xu Bamboo, unable to continue writing under his gaze, turned her head awkwardly. "Is the Initial Realm Passage enough for you? Can you digest it all?"
She only brought him one or two bottles a day, mainly because she was worried he wouldn’t be able to handle it all.
Yang Shen replied, "It’s enough. Actually, one bottle is plenty."
’If I drink too much, I’ll feel bad about it. But if I don’t drink any, I can’t explain my skyrocketing Qi and Blood Value.’
In fact, Yang Shen had been clever today. After finishing the bottle of Initial Realm Passage, he didn’t throw it away but left it on his desk.
Every now and then, he would pick up the empty bottle and pretend to take a couple of sips, giving his classmates and teachers the false impression that he was drinking a lot of it.
The conversation died, but Yang Shen was still staring at Xu Bamboo.
Xu Bamboo couldn’t focus on writing again. "Why are you... still looking at me?"
Yang Shen smiled. "I just suddenly realized, you’re quite quiet and refined."
Xu Bamboo mumbled, "Refined is one thing... but calling me quiet feels like an insult..."
"I was just thinking that maybe your personality is better suited for the liberal arts. I remember you used to keep a diary, didn’t you?"
Xu Bamboo’s cheeks flushed. "I stopped that a long time ago. Who in their right mind keeps a diary? Besides little kids, I mean..."
For some reason, Xu Bamboo put down her pen and stared at the classroom ceiling. "I was just thinking... if we were born in a parallel world where scholarship was valued above all else, maybe I’d want to do something different... Practicing Martial Arts is exhausting. Really, really exhausting."
In comparison, Yang Shen seemed to be working hard now, but he probably couldn’t even begin to compare to Xu Bamboo.
Yang Shen gave up sleep to train, whereas for Xu Bamboo, sleep was the only thing in her life that *wasn’t* training.
The young man also looked up at the ceiling, pondering his deskmate’s words, trying to imagine a world without Martial Arts...
But no matter how he tried, he couldn’t picture it.
"If a world like that really existed, it would be nice. But... I like practicing Martial Arts."
’And I like Cultivation, too.’
Hearing everyone around them enthusiastically discussing their plans for Sunday, a light suddenly appeared in Xu Bamboo’s big eyes. "Shenzi."
"Zhuzi."
"Tomorrow... I have half a day free. Do you want to go to... the zoo?"
"The zoo?"
It was a pretty unusual suggestion for a high schooler.
Xu Bamboo said, "I have tickets. You just need to show up."
The young man rolled his eyes. "You say that as if I could afford tickets anyway..."
Yang Shen recalled what he knew about the Jinshui District Zoo. It was located in the outer suburbs where land was cheap. A "wildlife park" had been moved there a few years ago, and it covered a huge area.
Rumor had it there were even some considerably powerful "Source Beasts" inside.
Yang Shen had never been. The tickets weren’t cheap—something over two hundred per person, he recalled—and he had no interest in spending his food money to go feed animals.
Besides, for a high school student, going to the zoo was...
...a little too childish.
Xu Bamboo’s voice held a hopeful tone.
"I read online that some rare white tiger cubs were just born. For the next two months only, you can get close enough to take pictures, and maybe even pet them."
Yang Shen was conflicted. ’That sounds so boring...’
’What’s so great about petting a white tiger...’
’It probably smells gamy.’
But Xu Bamboo rarely asked him for anything.
He was practically sucking sparks out of the Initial Realm Passage bottles she gave him every day. It would be a bit cold to refuse such a small request.
But then a thought occurred to Yang Shen. "Zhuzi, does this count as a da—"
"No!"
"Oh..."
Yang Shen worked his jaw, about to agree. "Well, in that—"
He was just about to say, "Alright, then," but before he could get the first word out, Xu Bamboo’s phone rang.
Yang Shen glanced at the screen. The caller ID read "Mom."
Xu Bamboo hunched over, facing the wall and whispering into the phone. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, and even with his late-stage Skin Refining, Yang Shen couldn’t hear a single word.
But a moment later, Xu Bamboo’s expression soured, returning to the icy look she usually had for everyone else.
"Sorry... something’s come up for tomorrow..."
Yang Shen was understanding. "Yeah... no problem."
It was perfectly normal for a student’s plans to be upended by their family.
’Doesn’t everyone have a parent who’s a killjoy?’
Xu Bamboo picked up her pen again, resuming her elegant handwriting on the language arts paper, but her heart refused to quiet down.
Her earlier train of thought was completely gone.
Just like her happiness from a moment ago.
A soft sigh betrayed the girl’s inner turmoil.
"I’m sorry..."
Yang Shen nudged Xu Bamboo with his elbow. "What’s there to be sorry about? I’ll treat you sometime in the future."
Xu Bamboo sighed. "That’ll be a long, long time from now..."
Yang Shen: ...
————
After school, Yang Shen headed home. Tonight, he would continue teaching his two younger sisters Cultivation, and then pull an All-Night Cultivation session himself.
If all went well, by the time he returned to school on Monday, he should have entered the "Bone Training Stage."
He wouldn’t take a Peiyuan Pill for now. He still hadn’t fully digested last night’s dose. Until he figured out how to obtain more of these miraculous Elixir Pills, each one he consumed was one he’d never get back.
’Monday, Bone Training!’
’I’m dying to see what this Bone Training is all about!’
At this thought, Yang Shen’s steps grew a little lighter.
But as he rounded the corner to his home, he suddenly froze.
Sitting at his doorstep were two grimy little boys...
One was big, the other small. The older one looked to be twelve or thirteen, while the younger was only about six. Their clothes were tattered, and they gave off a sour smell.
The two boys looked over, their eyes bright.
The older one asked warily, "Big brother, are you related to Yang Wen?"
’Yang Wen... that’s my Uncle’s name...’
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