Chapter 107

"Qin Classmate, this is the Talent Apartment allocated to you; daily necessities have all been purchased — take a look if anything is still lacking and let us know."

In the afternoon, the Inspection Department's official vehicle picked up Qin Shi and brought him to the Taian Urban Circle; after a forty-minute drive, it slowly stopped downstairs at a certain upscale apartment building in Qingyang District.

This place is very close to Xin Yi High School; if one wanted to go to Qiguang Heng University, it would only be a few stops away — surrounding supporting facilities have everything, truly a golden school-district location.

Passing through the entryway, Qin Shi stood in the living room, surveying the apartment layout.

A finely renovated two-bedroom, one-living-room; sofa seats, dining room and kitchenware all fully procured.

Windows bright with excellent light; crossing the sliding partition door, there is also a fairly spacious terrace with several potted green plants, full of vitality.

Under Hengzhou's strict electronic blockade level, it surprisingly even has smart home installed, freely controlling indoor lights and curtain switches.

Compared to the cramped seven-or-eight-square-meter bedroom in the shantytown, it is simply far better.

Qin Shi said amiably:

"I'm very satisfied, thank you."

The one who brought him up by elevator via card swipe into the room was a young woman with beautiful features.

Shoulder-length short hair, quite tall figure, wearing a black suit skirt — the very picture of workplace attire.

"Qin Classmate, let's add a contact method; any problems or things needing purchase, I'll handle them all for you. Right, my surname is An — you can call me Xiao An."

Miss An's smile was warm, her attitude so excellent it rivaled Haidilao waitstaff.

Qin Shi marveled — so this is the treatment a genius enjoys: not only good living conditions, but also a dedicated person arranged to care for daily life.

He accepted the key and access card, curiously asking:

"Miss An, are the residents in this building all students like me?"

"Students make up the majority; most come from Xin Yi High School, Hengda University Affiliated High School, Jia Kai Affiliated High School — at minimum top ten in their whole grade, and only those who pass the Vitality Assessment Exam can apply to obtain one."

Miss An smiled, nodding in reply:

"This is one of the Education Commission Talent Development Project's benefits; if Qin Classmate you perform outstandingly and win cup competition honors, there's hope of being selected as a Martial Arts New Star and going to Center City.

Conditions there are even more outstanding — each student has a standalone building, enjoys a private Cultivation Room, and public venues."

Who says studying is useless — it absolutely changes fate!

Qin Shi listened with widened horizons; if not for Uncle Chen speaking up and Secretary Huo arranging it, he would never have known these things at all.

New No. 1 Middle School Hongzhi Class teachers never mentioned this to students — probably thought it unnecessary; the whole class has few who can pass the Ranking Examination, let alone talk about the Talent Cultivation Project, the Education Fund, much less the Martial Arts New Star Plan that selects top students from all universities in Hengzhou.

Must admit, the all-round gap in educational resources truly determines students' horizons and futures.

Just speaking of what's before one's eyes — Old Factory Street workers' children would find it very hard to touch.

"Alright, won't disturb you further, Qin Classmate."

Miss An finished explaining matters and very tactfully left.

She didn't go downstairs immediately, but stood for a moment at the corridor window.

This is the seventeenth floor, one elevator per household — counts as a suitable private territory for quiet solitude.

"Truly young."

Miss An gazed down from her height, taking in the metropolitan area's bustling scenery, silently thinking:

"Don't know what background this Qin Classmate has — hasn't even completed the Ranking Examination yet can directly move into the Talent Development Project apartment's highest floor."

She hadn't mentioned just now that this apartment's floor and room assignments are actually based on usual grades and comprehensive potential assessment scores.

Qin Shi's seventeenth floor is a special 'will ascend to the absolute peak' position, representing that his score in this year's Talent Development Project is the highest.

"Lu Hui on the sixteenth floor, Xu Mo on the fifteenth floor, Zhao Yunzhu on the fourteenth floor — vitality has already broken through twenty-eight points.

Lu Hui is even approaching thirty points; if no mishaps in the coming year, hope of rushing to forty-five points is very large, enough to meet Qiguang Heng University Martial Arts Department's admission standard."

An Jingchu was very curious — just how strong is this Qin Classmate's talent and strength, to be able to crush without suspense all the Taian Urban Circle's High School Senior elites and move into the seventeenth floor that had been vacant for a long time.

…

…

"Level 2 Energy Liquid for daily consumption, Level 3 Energy Liquid to supplement cultivation consumption, and Level 4 Energy Liquid for impacting vitality.

Richly flavored Dachang Brand Nutritional Paste, High-Energy Protein Bars serving as snacks — even injection equipment is fully equipped."

After Miss An, who was like an apartment housekeeper, left, Qin Shi couldn't wait to open the double-door refrigerator, inside filled with various precious 'learning resources'.

Rough estimate — probably not less than several hundred thousand in value.

State subsidized, public funding allocated — truly generous!

"No wonder Uncle Chen said last time I wrote too little. Just the resources a single Talent Cultivation Project can provide already exceed my imagination.

Plus the Education Fund, and behind that the Martial Arts New Star Plan — where would there still be any need to worry about money."

Qin Shi let out a long breath; his ever-taut nerves seemed to relax at this moment.

No need to anxiously consider money problems anymore, no need to rely on Old Liang's wages and family savings, no need to depend on Big Sister's hard work to support himself.

"From now on, only need to peacefully upgrade, complete the Second Rebirth Transformation."

Qin Shi took out several bottles of energy liquid, placing them properly according to level high and low.

Then sat cross-legged and began practicing striking methods, manipulating True Yuan in one breath.

Fists and feet seemed to carry wind; as they swung, force flowed — sometimes light, sometimes heavy, sometimes sharp, sometimes violent — moves connecting roundly and smoothly, faintly displaying a grandmaster's bearing.

After breaking the Great Limit, Spirit residing in Inner Landscape, Qin Shi through resonance pondered day and night the Patriarch's Hundred Forms Refining Force, progressing enormously.

In just a few minutes, his body rapidly heated up, like a blazing furnace; large tendons twisted and tangled, emitting 'beng beng' cracking sounds.

"Flesh vitality is condensing, breath is strengthening — Rebirth Transformation is truly exhilarating! Like turning on double or even triple experience rate to level up; once experienced, hard to return to that kind of slow cultivation state."

The Second Limit's Spirit Gate lets Qin Shi sense his body's every subtle change more deeply.

Even without Inner Vision, he can perceive the 'Life Seed' squatting in his lower abdomen growing sturdily bit by bit as if watered.

Still a somewhat vicious sun whipping down, Qin Shi soon sweated profusely, yet he was completely unaware, immersed in the Qi Sense's Zhou Tian Cycle circulation.

Only saw between his brows gradually turning transparent; wisps of wandering light seemed to pass through his forehead, seeping inside.

"Does life force forming into a seed shape mean it can absorb energy from the outside world?"

Qin Shi was surprised; he had always thought the Martial Artist Path focused on excavating the flesh and developing potential, unlike the xianxia stuff in online novels about swallowing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth.

Clearing his mind, he maintained his training state with muscle memory while entering the Thinking Hall to ask Super Xiao He.

The latter pondered briefly and gave his answer:

"This is a gift of the Spirit Gate Great Limit. In theory, to absorb external energy, the Life Seed must break out of its shell and form a 'field' covering the whole body before refinement can take place.

The Mental Realm must then form a Holy Embryo and break the barriers of the Material World. In the cultivation of ancient times, this is called 'Unity of Heaven and Man'."

Qin Shi looked thoughtful; because his Spiritual Residence's Inner Landscape was perceived with subtlety, he unconsciously gathered in the sunlight.

"You must be careful. The sun is a star; the light and heat it emits were called 'Sun Essence' in ancient times. Those Qi Refiners could only start from Moonlight Qi; rashly gathering Sun Essence can easily cause self-immolation. If anything feels wrong, stop immediately."

Super Xiao He reminded him.

"What are the benefits of gathering Sun Essence?"

Qin Shi asked.

"The 'inner' is the heart; the 'scene' is the image. Letting the mind hold more images of the outside world can nourish Spiritual Field Power and form 'thought' more quickly.

Only when you possess an externalized thought can you be considered a qualified mental cultivator, qualified to take the Meditation Master exam."

Super Xiao He was like an encyclopedia, always able to provide the correct answer.

Qin Shi looked up; sure enough, a faintly visible solar halo appeared in the Thinking Hall, adding more vitality to this Inner Landscape.

He couldn't help but make associations:

"It's somewhat like the ancient 'gathering of qi'; it's said those Qi Refiners traveled famous mountains and rivers, gathering morning purple qi and dew moisture to refine pills for consumption."

Super Xiao He nodded:

"The Martial Artist Path was created by Yan Haishan, who integrated many cultivation methods into the Heavenly Road Road, covering many ancient martial and ancient law things."

Qin Shi realized and exited the Thinking Hall.

Scorching heat traveled through his whole body; the Second Rebirth Transformation was more violent, that rich vitality filling every inch of flesh and blood, constantly expanding outward, causing a faint glow to appear on his body surface.

"If life force breaks through to thirty points, I bet my eyes could shoot out light."

Qin Shi sat cross-legged, fantasizing about a cool scene of electric eyes, until the Qi Circulation slowed, as if lacking power; he grabbed the Energy Liquid and chugged it down.

These Level 2 and 3 Energy Liquids didn't need injections; with the 【Guo Sheng Zhang】 trait, they could be completely absorbed.

The sun gradually slanted west; the harsh sunlight softened, scattering layers of golden radiance, gilding the space between high-rise buildings.

Like burning clouds in large swathes, changing into various shapes; until the last bit of afterglow faded, Qin Shi only then ended today's cultivation.

This feeling of being undisturbed by the outside world and focusing wholeheartedly on something made one feel very grounded and satisfied.

The mind was calm and still, smooth like a lake!

"Those rich people going to suburban villas, far from human habitation, or traveling by sea to avoid the mundane world—nothing more than pursuing this kind of experience."

Qin Shi's heart kept surging with realizations; the human heart is too easily influenced, active thoughts are like wild horses without reins, impossible to hold back.

"The first step of mental cultivation is Entry into Samadhi; one can imagine how hard it is to 'fix the thoughts'. Long periods of calming the mind, breathing, guiding, increasing one's own spirit, using a powerful mind to control the body, binding thoughts, subduing intentions."

"In the 'Void Meditation Method', this state is called 'Locking the mind-monkey then Wukong is enlightened; binding the intention-horse then it transforms into a dragon'."

Qin Shi closed his eyes again, not entering the Inner Landscape; his empty thoughts seemed to have weight, like stones sinking underwater, no longer floating easily.

The flesh and skin inside his body writhed, the fascia trembled, emitting thunder-like roars.

That Life Seed, hungry and thirsty, absorbed nutrients, rapidly swelling from the fingernail to the size of a pebble.

His heart beat violently, blood flowed extremely fast, the human metabolism operated to the extreme, expelling previous waste.

I don't know how long passed; when Qin Shi opened his eyes, the sky was pitch black, only the light of neon lights intertwined.

His whole body was wet, as if he had sweated a lot, making his clothes stick to his skin, sticky and uncomfortable.

"Entered Samadhi. My mind, in the dimness, has fallen into a state of samadhi."

Qin Shi's eyes were extremely bright, spirited; in the thick darkness, they seemed able to glow.

A few hours passed in a flash; the long-lasting cultivation did not make him feel tired, but instead his body and mind were comfortable, full vitality overflowing within him, like nutrient-rich river water nourishing the Life Seed.

"At least jumped eight points."

Even Qin Shi himself was surprised.

He was no longer the old factory street worker's suburb child who had never seen anything; he deeply knew that such a huge leap was simply incredible!

Life Force Development absolutely cannot be achieved by taking spirit pills overnight to become an Amateur Level or Professional Level.

It is like a tree growing; no matter how much you force it to ripen, it needs a process.

"The mental state of Entry into Samadhi stimulates the mortal body, promoting my Rebirth Transformation... the two complement each other, progress is rapid."

Qin Shi pondered the flavor; could it be that Spirit-Flesh Unity is the true Martial God Path?

To increase eight points of life force, even the top student of the Elite Class would need to count by months, but he himself completed it in a single night.

"He Lanchan chose Body Limit Breakthrough and Spirit Manifestation; perhaps he just wanted to walk a unique path."

Qin Shi slowly sat up; just one movement, and hunger sensation swept over his whole body.

He quickly entered the house and opened the refrigerator, taking out flavor-excellent Nutrient Paste, and several High-Energy Protein Bars providing huge calories.

Dig in!

He ate for a full forty minutes, eliminating more than half the stock before feeling about eighty percent full.

"Cultivating with peace of mind, the days of having resources provided are truly wonderful!"

Qin Shi exhaled comfortably, took off the clothes soaked with sweat, and walked into the bathroom to rinse off.

"If only such a life could continue."

He dried his hair, lay on the bed, and spent his first day at the apartment.

Ci Ri.

Qin Shi opened his eyes, his body like a precision machine, needing no reminder to operate according to its preset program.

The terminal beeped; it turned out to be a message from Miss An.

【An Jingchu: Qin Classmate, the Talent Apartment provides breakfast and dinner nutrition meals; if you need them, you can notify me.】

"That's too thoughtful. If Little Zhou heard that top students of the Elite Class receive such treatment, he'd probably clench his fists and grind his teeth."

Qin Shi sighed; even with the same talent, under such abundant educational resources, the Elite Class and the First-Rank Academy were like high-speed rail and a horse-drawn carriage—even at the same starting line, the gap would only widen.

【Qin Shi: Please bring me two portions.】

【An Jingchu: Alright, delivered in twenty minutes.】

As expected, by the time Qin Shi finished washing, the apartment doorbell rang.

An Jingchu stood outside pushing a food cart and placed two silver trays on the dining table.

Qin Shi lifted the cover to find large pieces of pan-seared meat, with clear texture and rich aroma.

An Jingchu introduced:

"This is 'Iron-Cracking Crocodile Meat' supplied only by First-Rank Academies, a third-grade ingredient that can enhance one's strength. United Pharmaceutical's High-Energy Protein Bars contain a certain proportion of Iron-Cracking Crocodile meat. This counts as a Hengzhou specialty, supplied once a week."

Qin Shi nodded to show he understood, but in his heart he thought that every day he spent at the Talent Apartment, his cognition expanded once more.

Hengzhou specialty?

As a native-born Tai'an person of Hengzhou, Qin Shi had never even heard of it before!

An Jingchu placed both hands on her lower abdomen, as dutiful as a steward:

"Qin Classmate, after your meal, if you wish to tour the Talent Apartment, I can take you around for a walk and a look."

"The Gym, swimming pool, Cultivation Room, and even the Computer Room are all open to you. However, the latter two are time-limited, not available all day."

Qin Shi considered for a moment and said:

"If there's no problem, I plan to stay in the Cultivation Room for a while."

An Jingchu smiled gently and bowed slightly:

"Alright, I'll arrange it for you right away."

Chapter End