Chapter 5: Apprenticeship

"Timing starts."

Hao Yi took a metal pocket watch from his bosom, glanced at the time on it, and placed it on the table.

This pocket watch is also a product of the Mingxin Reform. Now the timing method of the entire Great Lan Dynasty has been changed to the twenty-four-hour system of Western countries.

A few seconds later, Li Fei felt his body start to itch.

His expression remained unchanged, and he still stood steadily in the horse stance.

The horse stance is also one of the basic lessons of the vocational school's Stop-Conflict Department. In three years of vocational school, Li Fei went from only being able to stand in a horse stance for a few minutes to now being able to stand steadily for half an hour.

Time passed bit by bit. A few minutes later, not only was his body itching, but the muscles all over Li Fei's body also produced soreness, and sweat began to bead on his forehead.

Seeing this scene, Li Lei showed a worried expression and subconsciously clenched his fists.

Li Fei took a deep breath and remained calm.

He "looked" at the Myriad Blood Bead in his body. The original 10 Blood Souls became 9 + 97%.

That is to say, his blood bar decreased by 0.3%.

"Only 0.3%, no big problem."

Li Fei thought to himself.

As time passed bit by bit, his muscles went from soreness to pain, accompanied by skin itching. It was indeed a bit uncomfortable, but it was still within the range he could bear.

His blood bar only decreased by 1%.

Since transmigrating, Li Fei has not studied the Myriad Blood Bead in his body less, and has done many "experiments."

He discovered that the Myriad Blood Bead quantifies his life into 10 Blood Souls, which makes his body and Blood Souls closely connected. When his body is injured, almost 99% of the damage will be shared by the Myriad Blood Bead, and the Blood Souls will bear these injuries, which makes the injuries presented by his body much lighter than they should actually be.

For example, someone slashed Li Fei's arm with a blade. Originally, this slash could have directly severed his arm, but because the vast majority of the damage was borne by the Blood Souls, the final result was just an extra wound on Li Fei's arm, and the number of Blood Souls in his body decreased according to the actual damage.

By the same token, at this moment, Li Fei took the pill, and more than 90% of the damage caused by the pill to his body was directly shared by the Myriad Blood Bead, so the pain, itching, etc., that Li Fei felt were also reduced a lot.

For others, it was an extremely uncomfortable and unbearable process, but for him, it was just a degree that he could endure by holding on a little.

But to avoid being seen as abnormal by Hao Yi, Li Fei still tried his best to make a painful and hard-working appearance.

Tick, tick, tick, tick...

The room was so quiet that one could hear the sound of the pocket watch's hands turning.

Nine minutes had passed, and Li Lei was almost holding his breath waiting for the final result.

Hao Yi looked at Li Fei with a bit more satisfaction.

The pill he gave Li Fei was called "Bitter Origin Pill," a pill that can enhance resistance to implant alienation.

Taking this kind of pill regularly can enhance the human body's ability to adapt to implants, but after taking the pill, as time goes on, the pain felt will become more and more intense, and this pain will continue until the medicinal power ends.

Most people can't even hold on through the pain of the first ten minutes, let alone maintain the posture of a horse stance.

Hao Yi asked Li Fei to stand in a horse stance while enduring this pain, just to see Li Fei's willpower.

Many people have good aptitude, but their willpower is not enough, wasting their aptitude in vain.

And Li Fei's performance made Hao Yi feel that it was not bad, and he was a talent that could be molded.

"Alright, time is up, you passed."

One minute later, Hao Yi put away the pocket watch on the table, and a hint of a smile appeared on his face.

Li Fei let out a heavy breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and cupped his fists at Hao Yi:

"Student Li Fei, greets the teacher."

"Thank you, Mr. Hao!"

Li Lei stood up happily, and then quickly said: "Mr. Hao, this antidote..."

Hao Yi looked at Li Fei: "The medicine I gave you has benefits for your future practice. The longer you hold on, the more benefits you will get, but the subsequent pain will also become more and more intense.

So you decide for yourself whether you want to take the antidote now? Don't worry, I have already decided to accept you as a student, no matter how you choose, it will not affect this result."

"This..."

Li Lei stopped talking.

Li Fei said without hesitation:

"Since that's the case, the student is willing to hold on for a while longer."

He could see his own "blood bar" and knew that he hadn't lost much blood, so he wasn't panicked at all.

"Good."

Hao Yi found Li Fei more and more pleasing to the eye, "You sit down first."

He stood up, walked to the desk on the side, picked up a bill from it, and handed it to Li Lei:

"Squadron Leader Li, you go to the finance department to pay the fee first."

Li Fei glanced at the bill and only saw the big characters "Two Hundred Yuan."

"Is the tuition fee for one semester 200 yuan?"

He was secretly shocked.

Li Lei, as a mid-level cadre of the Inspectorate, had a monthly salary of only 100 yuan. If other incomes were not counted, this tuition fee would be two months of his salary.

However, thinking of Hao Yi's status as a special lecturer, Li Fei felt it was very reasonable.

Many people are probably not qualified to pay this money even if they want to.

Li Lei took the bill and left the office.

"You adjust your breathing rhythm according to what I say."

After Li Lei left, Hao Yi suddenly said to Li Fei.

"Okay, teacher."

"Exhale three times, getting slower and slower, and then inhale..."

Li Fei changed his breathing rhythm according to the method Hao Yi taught. Gradually, the pain he felt decreased a bit, and coupled with the Myriad Blood Bead still continuously sharing the damage, he almost felt nothing.

And Hao Yi was surprised to see Li Fei's expression always very calm.

The breathing method he taught could only slightly reduce the body's pain, and more of it was actually to distract people's attention. And Li Fei could perform so calmly, showing that his willpower was even stronger than he expected.

"Could it be that this student can really bring me some surprises?"

Such a thought flashed through Hao Yi's mind.

He looked at Li Fei and asked:

"Your father is a squadron leader in the Inspectorate. Wouldn't it be very easy for you to go to work in the Inspectorate after graduating from vocational school? Why come to this Martial Arts Hall to suffer?"

When Li Fei heard this, he said without hesitation:

"Because the student wants to become a martial artist."

"What is becoming a martial artist for?"

Hao Yi continued to ask.

Li Fei's mind recalled the incomparably dark two years he was suppressed in his previous life, and then flashed the death state of the noodle shop owner again. He said firmly:

"To grasp my own destiny!"

In this life, he will never again be trampled underfoot like a beast of burden and manipulated by others!

Hao Yi was stunned and fell silent, saying nothing more.

How many people in this world can truly grasp their own destiny?

Even if one is the Son of Heaven, there are times when one cannot help oneself, so Hao Yi only took Li Fei's words as the bold words of a young man.

Soon Li Lei returned from paying the fee.

After waiting in the office for a while, Li Fei's blood bar stopped dropping.

At this time, his Myriad Blood Bead became:

【Level: 1, 49%

Blood Soul: 9, 23%】

The blood bar dropped by about 8%, which is not surprising, but the level energy rose by 12% at once, which surprised Li Fei very much.

The food he ate every day before could only bring 1% of energy to the Myriad Blood Bead.

"Could it be that this pill also contains energy that the Myriad Blood Bead can absorb?"

Li Fei guessed secretly.

"Very good."

Hao Yi said.

At this time, more than an hour had passed since Li Fei took the pill, and the medicinal effect of the Bitter Origin Pill had ended.

Li Fei completely held on through this period of time and fully absorbed the medicinal power, which made Hao Yi very satisfied.

"Starting tomorrow, you will report to me here at 6 o'clock every morning."

Hao Yi said to Li Fei.

"Yes, teacher."

Li Fei nodded.

Although he hasn't graduated from vocational school yet, there are no classes in the school in the last month, and all time can be freely arranged.

Afterwards, Li Fei and Li Lei left the office together.

"Not bad, Xiao Fei, being able to pass Mr. Hao's test."

Li Lei said with a smile, "Being able to become his student, maybe you really have a chance to fight for the quota to university in the future."

He brought Li Fei here today just to try his luck, but he didn't expect it to really succeed.

"Li Shu, can you tell me about this Mr. Hao?"

Li Fei asked.

He was used to understanding a person's personality first, so that he could prescribe the right medicine in the future. This is also the survival rule in the system.

Li Lei: "A year ago, I led a team responsible for a murder case. The suspect was a student of the Xingcheng Martial Arts Hall and was a student of Mr. Hao."

"Is it his student?"

Li Fei was a bit surprised.

Li Lei nodded: "That student was already a formal martial artist and very powerful. We brought guns during the arrest, but he still injured many brothers. In the end, it was Mr. Hao who personally took action to catch the other party. After catching the other party, he came to the Inspectorate to see him a few times. During this period, I gave him some convenience, so he owed me a favor."

"This Mr. Hao is indeed a person who puts righteousness before family."

Li Fei looked thoughtful.

"Indeed. I see that he is very disgusted with those who commit crimes, and your upright appearance makes it easy to gain his favor. This Mr. Hao is a capable person. Becoming his student is a rare opportunity, so grasp it well."

Li Lei exhorted.

Li Fei nodded: "I understand, Li Shu, don't worry."

Then he asked curiously: "Li Shu, you just said that you led a team to arrest Mr. Hao's student before, and you brought guns, but you were still injured by the other party. How do these powerful martial artists deal with firearms?"

Li Lei recalled and said: "The other party's speed was very fast, his movements were sharp, and he could even run directly on the wall, flying over eaves and walking on walls as if on flat ground. Coupled with the complex terrain where the arrest took place, even if the brothers had guns, it was difficult to hit him."

"So that's it."

Li Fei looked thoughtful.

Li Lei glanced at him and touched his head with a smile:

"Now that you have become Mr. Hao's student, you will definitely be able to become such a powerful martial artist in the future."

"Hmm!"

The two walked out of the building while talking.

Li Fei looked forward, the breeze brushed past his face, and the ginkgo leaves on both sides of the road fell down, covering the ground.

The noon sun fell, reflecting the road ahead in golden yellow.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 6 =====