Chapter 13: Your Shock Is Still to Come

【Name: Lin Chen】

【Profession: Martial Artist】

【Vitality: 2083/3000】

【Destiny: [Water Finds Its Channel]: In the First Stage of Martial Path, persistent effort, steady progress, and unstoppable momentum eliminate all bottlenecks.】

The next day.

Lin Chen stared at the increase in his vitality and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

Had he not misread it?

His vitality had risen by eighty points in a single day.

“Is black muntjac meat really this potent for boosting vitality?”

Thinking of the black muntjac meat he’d eaten yesterday, Lin Chen finally understood why even Lu Yongfeng and the others had salivated.

That dish must have been extremely expensive—he just didn’t know if eating it daily could maintain this rate of growth.

Others might not manage it, but perhaps he could.

Remembering his destiny, Lin Chen’s eyes lit up—but then he recalled how even Lu Yongfeng and the others had salivated, and he quashed the thought.

He didn’t need to think: black muntjac meat was far too expensive for him to afford.

“Chenzi, Xiao Tianxiang’s older brother is getting married today—should we go along with him back to the village for the celebration?” Gu Fei asked, stepping off his bed with eager anticipation.

Seeing Gu Fei’s hopeful expression, Lin Chen frowned, his face turning serious: “Afei, tell me honestly—are you thinking of giving up martial training?”

“N-no, I’m not.”

“If you’re not, why have you been slacking lately? Why do you keep leaving the training ground so early? Between brothers, no lies.”

Lin Chen stared intently at Gu Fei. After a long hesitation, Gu Fei sighed: “Chenzi, do you really think we can cultivate essence within two years? I’ve only reached three hundred and fifty jin of strength so far, and I’ve already spent seven or eight taels. The senior brothers say the cost only goes up the further you go...”

Gu Fei’s eyes held a haze of confusion—confusion about martial arts, confusion about the future.

“Why would you think like that?” Lin Chen asked, curious.

“It’s not just me—many others feel the same. Zhang Hao and Xiao Tianxiang also think it’s too hard to cultivate essence in two years.”

Lin Chen finally understood: the atmosphere in the martial hall had already turned sour.

After nine months of training, many students’ progress had slowed, yet their expenses hadn’t dropped. Some had begun to doubt their path; some had already considered quitting; others, though still training, had lost the fire they had when they first entered.

If you can’t cultivate essence in one year, there’s still a second year—and if not the second, then the third...

“Afei, the path of martial arts demands perseverance. No matter what, if you give up yourself, how can you possibly cultivate essence in two years?”

Lin Chen’s expression was grave: “If I’d thought the same way you did back then, shouldn’t I have quit long ago? Why bother working in the canteen? Did I really think it was no shame to beg friends for extra servings?”

“When I had no money, I saved every coin to buy beef—Zhang Tao mocked me. Did I really feel at peace?”

“Afei, remember this: if you don’t give up, you might not cultivate essence in two years—but if you quit, you’ll definitely not. Do you understand?”

“I understand. I’m going to go beat up Zhang Tao right now.” Gu Fei swung his fists.

Lin Chen: ...

“Just kidding—I get what you mean. You’re right. I won’t quit. After your family’s fishing boat launches, I’ll train hard.”

“Let’s go. It’s time for the training ground.”

At the training ground, Lin Chen noticed many students arriving late—and several were missing entirely.

The instructor and the other two trainers hadn’t shown up either. By this stage, only Lu Yongfeng and his four companions had cultivated essence; the trainers no longer cared about the rest.

At noon, Lin Chen bought a bowl of Nourishing Soup at the canteen. Though many students noticed, none reacted with much surprise.

After yesterday’s shock had spread, most assumed Yu Jiaoshi had given him special rations—so buying Nourishing Soup now was normal.

Seeing Lin Chen buy the soup, Gu Fei also wanted to buy some. Lin Chen almost stopped him—but after a moment’s thought, he let it pass.

According to his cost-efficiency training method, Gu Fei’s goal was to reach vitality within two years—so eating beef now was enough. He should wait until next autumn to start drinking Nourishing Soup, maximizing cost-efficiency.

But he’d just urged Gu Fei to reaffirm his commitment to martial arts. Stopping him now would crush his morale.

One bowl of Nourishing Soup increased Lin Chen’s vitality by twenty points. At this rate, he’d gain six hundred vitality per month, strength by one hundred and twenty jin, and claim his ten-tael reward.

At this pace, cultivating essence within a year should be no problem.

Time was sufficient—but not safe enough.

If his vitality growth slowed after reaching five hundred jin, he’d need to increase spending—and his plan would collapse.

Instructor Yu had said: seize every opportunity.

Two bowls of Nourishing Soup per day—that was the only safe way.

Two bowls increased vitality by thirty points.

From the perspective of food-to-vitality conversion, this was wasteful—but he couldn’t afford to care anymore.

Though it cost two hundred and fifty wen per day—seven and a half taels per month—it was all worth it.

“Chenzi, don’t be reckless.”

Seeing Lin Chen spend so freely, Gu Fei grew worried and tried to persuade him.

“Don’t worry—I know what I’m doing. I’m aiming for the ten-tael reward.”

“Ten taels? You want to gain one hundred jin of strength in a month—to reach five hundred jin?”

Gu Fei’s eyes widened. He circled Lin Chen three times, then reached out to feel his forehead: “You’re not running a fever, are you?”

“I’m serious. I’m confident I can do it.” Lin Chen shot back.

“You’re really confident?” Gu Fei couldn’t believe it: “Even Lu Yongfeng and the others—once they hit four hundred jin, none gained a hundred jin in a single month. Lu Yongfeng, the strongest in our cohort, after four hundred jin, ate beef, drank Nourishing Soup, and even took ginseng privately—and still only gained seventy jin per month.”

“Trust me. I wouldn’t gamble with my future.”

Lin Chen couldn’t tell Gu Fei about his [Water Finds Its Channel] destiny or his precise calculations ensuring sufficient funds.

He had two taels of silver. With two bowls of Nourishing Soup and three jin of beef daily, his expenses were two hundred and fifty wen per day.

Two taels would last until his vitality reached 2250—four hundred and fifty jin of strength.

Once he reached that mark, he’d apply to Instructor Yu for the three-tael reward, then reinvest it to push toward five hundred jin.

While Lin Chen frantically raced toward five hundred jin, Lu Yongfeng and the others were pushing just as hard.

Winter had arrived; frost coated the ground.

As dawn barely broke, eleven figures already stood on the training ground.

Lu Yongfeng, Zhao Jingchuan, Cheng Ying, Xu Botao, and Yan Dexing—five of them had already surpassed five hundred and seventy jin, charging toward the final six hundred jin.

The other five were Lin Chen’s cohort—those who’d reached four hundred jin, including Gu Fei, whom Lin Chen had dragged along.

The other students had already slackened. Unless the sun shone on the training ground, they wouldn’t show up.

Six days later.

Instructor Yu Yongnian and the two other trainers appeared on the training ground.

“Trainer, I’d like to try lifting the four hundred and fifty jin stone.”

Lin Chen glanced at his vitality panel: [2253/3000], then announced loudly.

At his words, every eye turned to him.

What did he mean?

Hadn’t he just crossed the four hundred jin threshold a few days ago?

Gaining fifty jin in such a short time? Impossible!

Yan Dexing’s lips twitched. In the past, he’d have mocked him mercilessly.

But remembering his experience at the Zhao family tavern, he feared mocking him now would only make him look foolish.

After receiving the trainers’ nod, Lin Chen walked to the four hundred and fifty jin stone, crouched down, and didn’t dare underestimate it—he’d just reached four hundred and fifty jin, and couldn’t lift it every time.

When they saw his veins bulging, his face flushed crimson, yet he still lifted the stone to his abdomen, the entire field fell silent.

Facing the stunned stares of everyone on the training ground, Lin Chen lowered his head shyly, eyes downcast.

This was only the beginning!

Your shock is still to come.

Instructor Yu Yongnian’s eyes gleamed. After a long pause, he said: “Good. Lin Chen, join Lu Yongfeng and the others in the back courtyard. Everyone else, continue practicing.”

Lin Chen followed Lu Yongfeng and the others as the three trainers left the training ground.

“He really lifted four hundred and fifty jin.”

Soon after Lin Chen left, Chu Dong walked to the stone Lin Chen had lifted. He strained repeatedly but couldn’t budge it—finally forced to believe Lin Chen’s strength was truly four hundred and fifty jin.

“Chu Dong, what are you implying? Do you think Chenzi cheated?”

Gu Fei, seeing Chu Dong’s actions, was furious: “With trainers present—who’d dare cheat?”

Chu Dong knew his behavior was inappropriate and didn’t argue with Gu Fei.

He simply couldn’t accept the reality of Lin Chen’s sudden leap—hence the absurd thought that the stone might be fake.

In his mind, gaining fifty jin in a few days was even more absurd and unbelievable than the stone being rigged.

(End of Chapter)