Chapter 6: Give Up, You Can't Do It

Early in the morning, changing shifts.

Lu Datou, with the excitement of having fought all night, hugged Chen Guanlou's shoulder and took out a tael of silver and stuffed it into his hand.

"Good brother!"

Last night, after Chen Guanlou helped Lu Datou win back his capital, Lu Datou seemed to be possessed by a gambling god, killing all sides.

Chen Guanlou didn't refuse, generously accepting the silver, and added, "Nine out of ten bets lose!" Gamblers had no good end.

"Don't worry, I have a sense of proportion." Lu Datou didn't care much.

When they went out, they met several other gambling ghosts, each with a gray face; one could tell at a glance that they had lost everything. When they met, they all looked at Lu Datou with displeasure, full of resentment for losing money. Among them, one looked at Chen Guanlou two extra times, very dissatisfied with him, obviously holding a grudge against him for helping Lu Datou win back his capital.

According to the rules, the winner treats everyone to wine.

Lu Datou laughed heartily, readily agreeing, promising to treat everyone to wine at Zui Xiang Lou today. After setting this matter, everyone dispersed and went home to rest.

Chen Guanlou returned to his home near the Marquis's residence—a small one-courtyard house, with three main rooms, one side room on the east and west, plus a kitchen, a side room, and a washroom. It could be called a sparrow that is small but has all the internal organs.

After drinking some water, he started practicing martial arts.

The Heavenly Thunder Art was an external training skill, mainly practicing boxing. Following Luo Jingtian's tricks, he began to explore carefully and understand it on his own.

After practicing for three hours, he finished his work, vaguely touching the threshold of entry.

At the appointed time, he went to Zui Xiang Lou for the banquet.

Lu Datou was the host, treating everyone to a wine banquet. Because they had to be on duty at night, he didn't dare to drink. The old oil-slickers didn't care; as long as they didn't get drunk, what did it matter if they drank a little wine? The government officials also enjoyed life at night; unless something major happened, they wouldn't raid the Heavenly Prison at night.

Everyone drank until they were three parts drunk, counting the time to go on duty, barely avoiding delaying the job.

Unexpectedly, when entering the government office, they ran into Prison Clerk Zhang, who hadn't finished his shift so late.

"Bastards!"

Prison Clerk Zhang looked at the prison guards who were reeking of alcohol and half-drunk, cursing angrily.

"Is there still any appearance of being on duty?"

"My lord, please see clearly—working at night, the duty room is dark and humid; if we don't drink some wine to resist the cold, even a strong man's body will collapse in less than three years.

Please, my lord, look at the fact that we are quite dedicated in our work on weekdays, and forgive us this time!"

"My lord, it's not that we don't follow the rules; it's really that the food money this month is not enough, and the food is too poor. Our bodies have all lost three pounds from hunger, and we must make up for it."

The old oil-slickers relied on their deep qualifications, talking all at once, trying to muddle through.

Chen Guanlou stood at the end of the line, not daring to stand out. There was no place for him to speak here; he just needed to follow everyone else.

Prison Clerk Zhang had the heart to attack, but he also knew it wasn't appropriate at this time. This account was temporarily recorded; there were plenty of opportunities to clean up a few prison guards, so there was no need to rush at this time.

He waved his hand in disgust. "Get out, get out, get out—hurry up and go on duty. If there is a next time, I will definitely not forgive you."

"Thank you, my lord, for your forgiveness!"

Prison Clerk Zhang, a mere government clerk, naturally didn't have the qualification to be called "my lord." The prison guards addressed him this way, which could be considered giving him enough face. If Prison Clerk Zhang pursued the matter of drinking, that would be not following the rules. If you don't follow the rules, don't blame us for acting recklessly!

Fortunately, Prison Clerk Zhang's brain was still clear and he didn't really pursue it.

The prison guards bid farewell to Prison Clerk Zhang and headed to the Heavenly Prison to be on duty.

Patrolling the Bing-character prison at night, Chen Guanlou took the initiative to take on the responsibility.

Coming to the prison cell holding Luo Jingtian, he handed a pot of wine and a piece of soy-sauce meat wrapped in oil paper to the other party.

"No roasted chicken, so just make do with the soy-sauce meat."

Luo Jingtian didn't care about this; it was good enough to have something to eat. Taking the wine and meat, he began to wolf it down, pouring wine into his mouth in big gulps. After eating until he was five parts full, he slowed down. "Damn it, how long has it been since I drank wine? That bunch of black-hearted, rotten-gutted prison guards—none of them are good things. Still, little brother Chen, you are a good person. However, the taste of this soy-sauce meat doesn't look like the craftsmanship of the shop I mentioned."

Chen Guanlou naturally couldn't go to the restaurant Luo Jingtian introduced to buy wine and meat, to prevent being used by others and falling into the suspicion of collusion inside and outside.

"The wine and meat were bought at a small shop on the street on the way here."

Luo Jingtian's hand paused, and then he continued to eat as if nothing had happened. "Little brother Chen, don't worry; I know the rules. I won't let you bring a message; this matter is taboo."

That's very good.

Chen Guanlou was very satisfied with the other party's sensibility, and then asked about the matter he cared about. "How long does it take for the Heavenly Thunder Art to enter? How long does it take to practice to the first layer?"

Luo Jingtian said while eating: "Ordinary people want to enter, it takes at least seven or eight days, and ten days or half a month is also possible for those with poor aptitude. For example, me—it only took me three days to enter, and two months to practice to the first layer."

He had a look of pride on his face, obviously very satisfied with his martial arts talent.

Hearing this, Chen Guanlou's heart paused. He only used three hours to touch the threshold of entry—what kind of speed was this? Gifted? A martial arts genius?

*Teme* of it.

If he was a martial arts genius, why didn't he have a martial pulse, couldn't practice internal cultivation methods, and couldn't step into the martial path to become a warrior? He wasn't convinced!

Did God have eyes or not? Leaving such a big martial arts genius without food to eat, but instead favoring some crooked melons and cracked dates.

Practice is the only criterion for testing truth. He couldn't just give up because others said he didn't have a martial pulse and couldn't practice internal cultivation methods; he had to practice it himself.

"Is there an internal cultivation method?"

Luo Jingtian was stunned, then put down the wine and meat, wiped the oil from his mouth, and said earnestly, "Little brother Chen, I know you are unwilling. There are countless ordinary people like you who are unwilling to just be a boxing and kicking master, trying to break through the restrictions of the martial pulse and practice internal cultivation methods. But without exception, they all failed. In serious cases, forced practice eventually leads to explosion and death. I have internal cultivation methods, but if I give them to you, I am harming you! Forced practice is the way to death; you won't live past thirty. This is a lesson summarized by countless predecessors with blood and tears; you can't not listen."

Hearing the end, Chen Guanlou's originally gloomy mood suddenly became extremely joyful.

He hurriedly asked: "You mean, it damages lifespan?"

"It's more than just damaging lifespan; it's clearly exchanging life for cultivation methods—exchanging life for no life to enjoy. Only those with martial pulses can practice internal cultivation methods and increase their lifespan; this is an unchanging fact. Little brother Chen, I know you are unwilling, but I still want to say, give up!"

"You don't need to persuade me; I have my own ideas. You just need to teach me the internal cultivation method."

"This... you..." Luo Jingtian couldn't figure it out; he had explained the truth, so why wouldn't little brother Chen listen to persuasion? This is the way to death. It's a pity; it's rare to meet a prison guard who hasn't been polluted, and now he was going to watch the other party walk toward death. ===== CHAPTER 7 =====

"This... you..." Luo Jingtian couldn't understand it. He had explained the logic clearly, so why wouldn't Brother Chen listen to reason? This was a path to self-destruction. It was a pity; it was rare to meet a prison guard who hadn't been corrupted, and now he would have to watch helplessly as the other party walked toward death.