Zhou Leng finished eating, sweating profusely.
Li Linhan placed a paper box in front of Zhou Leng.
This paper box, Zhou Leng had seen countless times in the Martial Arts Mall's window.
White paper box, affixed with round transparent film, the three red clerical script characters on it were exceptionally eye-catching,
Qi Nourishing Pills.
Zhou Leng's heart skipped a beat.
Even without opening the box, Zhou Leng knew that inside were three small pill boxes, one pill per box.
This was the closest Zhou Leng had been to Qi Nourishing Pills in all these years.
"Uncle Li, I can't accept this. Even my third brother doesn't have enough. How about this, exchange it for three servings of Meat Herbal Cuisine."
Li Linhan said, "I've given it to you, I won't bother with it next. If you don't want it, talk to him."
"He's in military school, and it's a critical time now. If he doesn't reach out, I can't contact him at all."
Li Linhan tore open the paper box, unscrewed the pill box, shook it, then screwed it back tight.
"Once the pill box is opened, if not consumed within ten days, the efficacy will be lost, can't even sell it. You deal with it yourself." Li Linhan smiled at Zhou Leng.
"You..." Zhou Leng looked helplessly at the three pill boxes.
Li Linhan stood up, patted Zhou Leng's shoulder, and said, "Your third brother's goodwill, just accept it. If you really want to repay him, then kill more Sea Sirens and Demons, avenge his brother, sister, and mother."
Zhou Leng's throat moved, unable to say a word.
"Alright, go to school now." Li Linhan handed the three Qi Nourishing Pills to Zhou Leng and pushed him out.
Carrying the three Qi Nourishing Pills, Zhou Leng went home, sat in a daze for quite a while, then carefully wrapped them layer by layer in cling film and put them in the fridge.
His gaze swept over the digital photo album.
"Then... kill more Sea Sirens and Demons."
Zhou Leng utilized his energy to digest the Meat Herbal Cuisine, returned to his desk, and wrote the Martial Arts Diary.
July 9th.
Clear.
...
The content was the same as yesterday.
Zhou Leng carried his backpack, picked up the lunch box prepared last night, and ran all the way into Eighth Middle School.
The classroom was bustling. After finishing the first two exams, the smiles on the classmates' faces became more radiant.
Especially those not planning to enter Martial Arts University, some didn't even carry backpacks.
"You're quite bold, dare to bring a phone? Did you ask the teacher? Didn't your mom forbid you from bringing it?"
"I'm not applying to Martial Arts University, the teacher doesn't care anymore. I begged my mom to buy it while strolling around the mall yesterday, almost kneeled on the ground, haha."
"That's great."
"What's so great? I actually wanted to buy a Demonized Miniature Portable Computer, but didn't dare to ask."
"Take it easy, even the cheapest Demonized Computer costs over a hundred thousand, and top ones are millions, no need unless you're a Martial Artist. Let me see your phone..."
Zhou Leng passed by two chatting classmates, placing his phone into his pants pocket.
Sitting at his desk, Zhou Leng took out the handwritten copy of "Miscellaneous Collection of Zhao Dongjun, Volume 2" and slowly began to flip through it.
The cover was tattered and the pages were yellowing.
The contents of the second volume were Martial Saint Zhao Dongjun's insights on the martial arts in the Qi Blood Realm.
Hu Yi, sitting on the table, sneered, "You've read this book at least twenty times, right?"
Zhou Leng replied, "Teacher said if you don't read the Martial Saint's true teachings a hundred times, you're not fit to learn martial arts, so I have to diligently read."
"You..." Hu Yi suddenly changed his tone and said, "Just for the effort alone, you're definitely a martial arts expert! In the future, I'm counting on you two."
Hu Yi then looked at Feng Wenhao beside him.
Feng Wenhao adjusted his glasses, asking, "What do you mean?"
Hu Yi extended both hands, placing them on the shoulders of Zhou Leng and Feng Wenhao, saying, "With my average talent and ordinary family background, like Teacher Sun said, can't accomplish anything, can't finish a meal, so I'll quit competing. In the future, Blue Star rests on you guys."
"What's gotten into you?" Feng Wenhao asked.
Hu Yi laughed heartily, saying, "I figured it out, avoided fifty years of detours. Zhou Leng is the type who never gives up, even Demons can't handle him, he's committed to the martial path till the end. What about you?"
Hu Yi looked at Feng Wenhao.
"I... don't know..." Feng Wenhao hesitated.
"I still want to follow the martial arts path. Can't get into Martial Arts Academy, but there's hope for the Affiliated Martial Arts Hall. If it doesn't work, I'll pursue martial arts research; if that fails, I'll enroll in a general program. If I start slacking off, my dad will break my legs." Feng Wenhao said.
"Makes sense, considering the Qi Nourishing Pills and Replenishing Essence Pills you've taken, your dad wouldn't let you slack off. How many layers of True Qi have you reached?" Hu Yi asked.
"Minor Achievement, Fifth Layer Heaven."
"Wow, the Qi Nourishing Pills and Replenishing Essence Pills weren't wasted. You're currently ranked eighteen thousand, with pill supply, after martial exams, you'll surely join the Affiliated Martial Arts Hall."
"Not easy to say..." Feng Wenhao replied with an embarrassed smile.
Hu Yi jokingly scolded, "Stop pretending to be modest. If Zhou Leng had that many pills supplied, even if injured, he could make it to Martial Arts Academy, believe it?"
"Of course. Regardless of Zhou Leng's martial exam results, he will definitely become a martial arts expert in the future!" Feng Wenhao said.
"Brother, no need to hype." Zhou Leng replied.
"Are you guys going to work at the Pioneer Company after the Gaokao?" Hu Yi asked.
"Yes," Zhou Leng replied.
Feng Wenhao sighed, "I don't really want to, but my dad insists that I should get some early exposure to society, toughen up a bit. Looks like after the Gaokao, the three of us will regroup at the slaughterhouse."
"Three cold-hearted magical beast executioners..."
Everyone chatted and laughed, and when the bell rang, the students smoothly slithered back to their seats like snakes.
A middle-aged woman in a white blouse and blue-gray pants walked through the door, stepped onto the podium, her sharp gaze sweeping across the class from behind her black-rimmed glasses.
The classroom fell silent.
The third-year, third-class homeroom teacher, Xu Meijie, slowly said, "Today is the last day of official classes. Starting tomorrow, if you want to come to school to prepare for the exam, come. If not, you can cultivate at home..."
Zhou Leng looked at the homeroom teacher. Usually, he felt indifferent, but today, somehow, he felt an emptiness inside, a bit of unease.
It was as if something very important was slowly drifting away, farther and farther, never to return.
"...If you don't want to apply to Martial Arts University or the Affiliated Martial Arts Hall, don't relax too much. Don't disturb those classmates pursuing martial cultivation..."
"...In the last few days, keep your Dantian tightly sealed, don't let that Qi slip away..."
"...The Gaokao is very important, possibly one of the most important things in your life. But ultimately, it's only one of the most important things. Your life, the most important thing..."
"...The road in your life is still long. You must walk it slowly and walk it well..."
Xu Meijie finished her long speech, then suddenly paused, looking at the entire class in silence.
Some students had reddened eyes.
Xu Meijie rarely smiled, but she did now, turning to the wall between the blackboard and the door, pointing at the red-lettered banner hanging there.
Her index finger pointed a few times, as if her throat was clogged with something, unable to speak.
It was the class's motto.
"Stand up!" The class leader suddenly stood up.
In the noise of chairs and desks moving, all the students stood.
"Our motto is..." the class leader shouted.
"Seek not the title of Marquis, only for the calm of the sea!" All the students shouted in unison, deafeningly.
Zhou Leng shouted with all his might.
Xu Meijie smiled contentedly, nodded, and said, "You can forget the grammar in books and the Martial Arts Heart Method, but these two sentences, I hope everyone remembers. If...I mean, if someone grows up and forgets, it's okay, just make sure your children remember. Alright, it's about time, head to the Inner Power Classroom."
Xu Meijie turned and left, the students got up one after another.
Zhou Leng stood up and noticed Hu Yi sitting dazedly, his eyes slightly red.
Zhou Leng walked over, patted Hu Yi on the shoulder, and said, "Let's go."
"Hmm." Hu Yi lowered his head, drew a tissue from his deskmate, wiped his nose, and followed Zhou Leng and Feng Wenhao outside.
At the entrance of the Inner Power Classroom, most students entered, while Xu Qingjin and the four other martial arts top students left for the advanced class to cultivate.
The Inner Power Classroom had no desks or chairs, only cushions spread out.
Everyone sat down, and the Inner Power Teacher, Sun Xiong, walked in, chatted for a while, and said, "Today is the last lesson, only questions and answers. Whoever has questions about cultivation and the martial arts exam, raise your hand."
"Teacher, why does the martial arts exam only test True Qi and not real combat with demons? Even facing the weakest demon would give us practice."
"Yeah..." the students responded eagerly.
"Alright, imagine millions of candidates across the country go to fight demons, and then some die. Guess what your parents would do?"
The classroom fell silent.
"In the first few years of the martial arts exam, there was indeed demon combat, and the death rate was below one in a thousand, just with quite a few injuries. Guess how badly people up top were scolded?"
The classroom was quiet again; some students asked, "Can't there be sparring tests? After three years of high school, there's hardly any real combat. Feels like we're useless."
"Testing sparring? How would you determine your score? You really think that your score at that time would be decided by yourselves rather than by your opponent or examiner?"
The classroom was silent once again, students feeling a chill down their spines in confusion.
"The current martial arts exam system is not only imperfect but full of loopholes everywhere. Yet, this leaking martial arts exam is the fairest for the vast majority. You'll understand when you enter society; never again will you encounter something so fair."
Sun Xiong continued, "Qi, blood, body, power. In the Qi Blood Realm, you cultivate Qi Nourishing, Blood Transport, Body Refinement, Life Force. Do you really think you've been practicing in vain all these years?"
"...With Qi to transport blood, with blood to refine the body, with body to generate life force, these are the foundations of martial arts civilization! True Qi is the foundation of the foundation..."
"...True Qi is indeed not everything, but the more abundant your True Qi, the greater your achievements will be. Without True Qi, there's nothing..."
"...Inside, there's the Demon Worship Sect; outside, various demons. Why does the state still allow you to quietly attend classes and cultivate True Qi? Because all the Grandmasters and Martial Saints are well aware..."
"...Allowing you to grow quietly will bring enormous burdens in the short term, but from a long term perspective, this is humanity's only path to survival..."
"...Enable generation after generation of children to survive, and then grow, grow, keep growing; it's the only path, the only..."
"...Do you remember the Martial Ancestor's final words? Shout them out with me! We want to..."
All the students shouted together, "We want the book desks before our children to be quiet."
Sun Xiong said slowly, "One day, you will encounter a desk worth protecting, just like your parents, your ancestors."
The students had reddened eyes.
After a while, Sun Xiong said, "Alright, now ask your questions."
"Teacher, True Qi manipulation is too difficult. There's no problem usually, but as soon as I start using moves, Qi manipulation is either blocked or deformed..."
"Specify a bit more..."