Chapter 115

As the first ray of morning light filtered through the curtains into the room, Qin Shi's body seemed to run on a preset program, automatically waking from deep sleep.

He opened his eyes and lay still for three minutes, ensuring flesh vitality circulated within his hundred bones, gradually rousing his silent body.

Qi sense slowly circulated ninety-nine times eighty-one cycles until his mortal body grew warm and radiated heat.

Only then did Qin Shi exhale a breath of turbid air, prop himself up with both hands, and get out of bed to wash up.

This was a new Old Martial Arts technique he had learned, warming the trunk and nurturing the viscera.

According to Lao Liang, this belonged to "Nurturing Body Small Trick".

That Master Uncle of Hong Sheng, relying on a single Health Preservation Static Gong, lived hard to over four hundred years, outliving countless peers, disciples and grandchildren, laughing last.

Lao Liang's Master fell far short, departing a step earlier, falling on the arena stage.

Dongxia citizens in the Great Universe Era had an average lifespan between ninety and one hundred twenty — of course, this mainly referred to settled citizens in urban circles or central cities.

And professionals who stepped onto the Supernatural Path, such as Martial Artists and Mechanics, although dedicated to developing life force, saw no significant increase in lifespan limits, roughly only twenty to thirty more years.

At Professional rank, without any intense excessive consumption, they could probably hold out to around two hundred years, unless they achieved true sublimation of life level, only then could they hope to break the shackles.

Qin Shi had heard that distant super-giant corporations or financial clans invested massive funds every year, focusing on researching Immortality Projects, and also gathered rich resources across the Vast Star Sea for life extension.

"My road ahead is still very long, but nurturing health in advance and adding some blood bar is pretty good too.

The Old Martial Arts road is notorious for overdrafting potential, excessive excavation, leaving one riddled with ailments by seventy or eighty."

Qin Shi stepped into the bathroom, took a shower, blow-dried his hair, and took out a set of student uniform from the wardrobe.

The style was fairly simple: a white short-sleeved T-shirt, gray-black long pants, with Xin Yi High School's emblem embroidered on the chest — a blue seagull spreading its wings as if to fly.

Today was Xin Yi High School's school start day; per school rules, he needed to wear the uniform to attend the opening ceremony.

"Summer vacation passed, my changes are truly heaven-and-earth overturning."

Looking in the mirror, Qin Shi felt the previously looser uniform now appeared slightly tightened.

Fortunately it wasn't too exaggerated, merely outlining the shoulder and back contours clearly.

【An Jingchu: Qin Classmate, today is Xin Yi High School's school start day, we can arrange an official vehicle for pickup and dropoff.】

Before he even stepped out the door, the terminal received a message.

Qin Shi replied briefly:

"Needed, trouble you."

Originally Lin Yunqing planned to send him to school today, but Qin Shi politely declined.

He always felt the dog woman wanted to take advantage of him, attempting to pose as a parent.

If it were the normal Talent Apartment treatment, then it would be fine.

【An Jingchu: Wait three minutes, the car is waiting for you downstairs.】

【Qin Shi: Okay.】

In the apartment lobby, Xu Mo and Zhao Yunzhu, both changed into Xin Yi High School uniforms, met up.

They were both Elite Class top students who, relying on family connections, had barely managed to secure Talent Cultivation Project quotas.

Zhao Yunzhu said with a grin:

"School's started, Xu Mo classmate, how's your mood? This year is the final days of senior year, who knows what tricks Lao Liu has prepared to deal with us."

Lao Liu was the two of them's class teacher.

Because he showed no mercy to students, he was nicknamed "Liu Yanwang".

Xu Mo shrugged:

"As long as your grades are good, no regression, Lao Liu would treat you like treasure and it still wouldn't be enough."

Zhao Yunzhu pouted:

"Hard to say, Lao Liu's classic line: senior year no progress equals major regression. He's dead set on raising the first-rate academy admission rate; whoever drags it down suffers."

Xu Mo spoke quite confidently, head held high:

"After the opening ceremony comes the Section Rank exam. I've already reached the Seven Segment Pass Line; with another push, breaking through to Sixth Dan, I'll touch Hengda University Martial Arts Department's threshold. Definitely give Lao Liu face!"

Zhao Yunzhu's eyes were full of envy; her life force development upper limit wasn't very high, so getting into a first-rate academy would most likely require accepting adjustment, switching to a major with a relatively lower score line.

"I only found out someone moved into the seventeenth floor apartment; it's probably that mysterious genius who broke Lu Hui's record. Coincidentally, he's called Qin Shi."

Xu Mo froze for a moment, frowning:

"Qin Shi? Our grade seems to have a Qin Shi too, in the Hongzhi Class downstairs?"

Zhao Yunzhu nodded:

"Old Factory Street special hardship student, right? Him and Zhou Ning, both so-so grades, lower-middle level."

As Elite Class top students, the reason they remembered Qin Shi's name was more due to the Old Factory Street label.

After all, looking across all of Xin Yi High School, students not from the Taian Metropolitan Area were few, belonging to rare creatures.

"Shouldn't be the same person, right."

Xu Mo found it hard to believe — a Hongzhi Class ordinary student moving into the Education Committee specially approved Talent Apartment?

And cultivation room data brushed even more impressive than that pervert Lu Hui?

Sounds like a fantasy.

"Could be same name same surname. Qin Zheng full street, Hengzhou has many surnamed Qin."

Zhao Yunzhu thought so too:

"I flipped through the class communication group; Qin Shi and Zhou Ning went to work summer jobs, how could they possibly pass the Talent Cultivation Project."

Xu Mo secretly breathed a sigh of relief; the Elite Class was already competitive enough.

Besides him and Zhao Yunzhu, there were still several guys fighting for scholarships.

If another monster who crushes Lu Hui appears halfway, my application for the education fund will be completely hopeless.

"Let's go, Yunzhu. My dad just rewarded a New Moon. If I can get into Heng University, he agreed to pay for my ship ticket to travel to Haizhou, as a graduation trip."

Xu Mo took out the keys, and a water-blue sports car full of dynamism and vitality was parked outside the apartment building.

The streamlined body plus the more flamboyant style design was quite eye-catching.

"The New Moon 7 just came out not long ago, right?"

Zhao Yunzhu's eyes shone bright; girls never have any resistance to high-appearance things, but she didn't get in the car, shaking her head and saying:

"I'll drive my own Cool Cat Mini. See you later!"

"Fine, let's see who gets to school first."

Rejected, Xu Mo was not discouraged.

He did have a favorable impression of Zhao Yunzhu, but more valued the family background behind her.

Zhao Yunzhu's parents run a well-known pharmaceutical company in Tai'an, a very formidable agent, with business dealings with United Pharmaceutical, Nanli Group, and such; if he could connect with this line, it would be a huge help to his studies and future planning.

Xu Mo sat in the new car; his peripheral vision saw Miss An, the actual manager of the Talent Apartment, driving that Yafeng out of the basement, with a blurry figure seemingly in the passenger seat as well.

"He's the new person who moved into the seventeenth floor, right? Having Miss An as a driver, this treatment, tsk tsk."

Xu Mo gripped the steering wheel and sighed:

"Why does the harder I work, the more geniuses press down on my head? First Lu Hui, now another new character of unknown origin pops up."

He stepped on the gas, and with a vroom, tried hard to catch up to An Jingchu's solemn grand atmosphere, the black Yafeng that could be called the top choice for a protocol car.

……

……

"It's said Qin Classmate passed the education fund assessment and obtained the Martial Association's full sponsorship."

An Jingchu, acting as driver, quietly turned her head, gazing at the youth with distinct facial contours.

"Miss An's information is truly well-connected."

Qin Shi was surprised; it had only been a day since he returned from Jinhui Building.

This Miss An, responsible for the Talent Apartment management work, actually already knew of this matter.

"I have contact with the Education Committee and the Martial Association."

An Jingchu, with a very obvious intellectual temperament, smiled gently:

"Does Qin Classmate have interest in accepting investment from other groups? A hero like you will definitely aim for the Star Cup and professional rank in the future.

Relying only on the Martial Association's sponsorship and the Education Committee's resources may still not be enough."

Qin Shi was slightly stunned, seemingly not expecting An Jingchu would actively recruit him, and so directly at that.

"Haven't considered it at this stage."

He answered honestly.

No matter how fast one hundred fifty million gets used up, supporting me to complete Second Rebirth is no problem at all.

"Qin Classmate, don't misunderstand. This is normal commercial investment; as the Star Cup's popularity rises year by year, big companies and big groups, for advertising effect, are often willing to invest huge sums in players. Especially the new generation after the First Generation Ten Greats, basically all have connections with giant enterprise consortiums."

An Jingchu's tone was very gentle, not causing any pressure at all:

"The new generation of Martial Artists, like Yu Li, called 'Supernova'! Very sought after by Tomorrow Group, his public opinion is extremely good, image extremely good, also because behind him stands a Media Giant.

And there's Long Danzi, with numerous fans, more followed than top-tier idols, signed by Ziwei Conglomerate, sent to the Martial God Dojo on Taiyin Ancient Star to study.

Not to mention the Zhu Yun and Zhu Xu siblings who have emerged these two years; they are the image spokespeople launched by United Pharmaceutical.

Young Martial Artists are in the golden stage of Qi Life Force growth; with super-large giant enterprise consortium backing, it's easier to soar."

It sounds like an idol debut.

Qin Shi secretly slandered in his heart, and smiled:

"These are too far from me; I haven't even passed the Section Rank exam."

Seeing Qin Shi had no interest, An Jingchu stopped talking and nodded lightly:

"I feel Qin Classmate will sooner or later break out of Hengzhou, heading toward a broader world. In recent years, the Star Cup has been called a 'rich people's game' by more and more people. Commoner-born young Martial Artists are fewer and fewer; even if a few outstanding figures occasionally appear, they soon regretfully exit under the siege of genius players signed by giant enterprises and consortiums.

I think everyone very much hopes to see a Martial Prodigy representing the vast majority of 'Ordinary People' rise powerfully."

Qin Shi's heart had no ripples; another high school student of the same age might be stirred to boiling blood by these words, but Qin Classmate, who has lived two lives, is no longer too willing to eat the pies others draw.

Casually echoing a few sentences, the car interior returned to quiet.

A few minutes later, the black Yafeng stopped at the school gate.

"This is my business card. Qin Classmate, if you have any thoughts, you can contact me anytime."

An Jingchu handed the exquisite business card to Qin Shi, seemingly inadvertently, letting her fingers touch Qin Shi's palm.

As expected, status is different now; there are actually people using a Beauty Plan on me.

Qin Shi sighed with emotion; An Jingchu's set of Seduction Techniques could probably make sixteen or seventeen-year-old youthful boys blush and have wild thoughts.

He lowered his head and glanced at the business card.

Original Energy Company.

(Chapter End)