It was a hot summer day, and time flew by like running water. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
"Knock knock knock"
"Lin Changqiang! Lin Changqiang?"
Lin Dong's noise, one louder than the other, was heard outside the door again.
"Lin Changqiang, don't hide in there and keep silent. I know you are at home! You have the guts to say that you want to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, to look down on the world, and to eliminate all injustices, but why don't you have the guts to open the door!?"
"Asshole!" At this time, Lin Changqiang was lying on the bed in pain, hitting his head against the pillow continuously.
"Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it!"
"I want to die, I want to die, I want to die, I want to die!"
Yes, ever since a month ago, when Lin Changqiang suddenly had a second-year disease attack and said those words with boiling blood. Whenever he recalled that day, he felt a nagging sense of shame, but Lin Dong's entire being lit up. His favorability with Lin Changqiang had even soared to sixty-eight. From then on, Lin Changqiang's good days were completely over...
For the entire month, in addition to completing his daily two-hour jogging schedule, Lin Changqiang was also dragged along by the enthusiastic Lin Dong to practice Tongbei Quan and Lieshi Leg together. Fortunately, Lin Dong didn't yet know that he could also recover his stamina quickly, otherwise it would have been impossible to practice for "only" three hours a day!
This wasn't the worst of it. The worst was that, thanks to the system-assisted training, Lin Changqiang's Lieshi Leg and Tongbei Quan had long since reached perfection. Now, when sparring with Lin Dong, he was essentially acting as a free sparring partner. Even the effects of the gift, after receiving another ten percent experience bonus, could no longer be triggered because his cultivation level surpassed Lin Dong's.
"Hey, wouldn't it be nice to just lie down and earn experience? Why do you have to be so mean!" Lin Changqiang was completely depressed. "Now I'm a punching bag."
Of course, verbal complaints aside, Lin Changqiang was actually very grateful to Lin Dong. After all, who else besides Lin Dong could practice almost all day long, allowing him to take advantage of a whole day's experience? Besides, he didn't gain nothing; he also gained a lot of practical experience.
"Dong dong dong!"
"Lin Changqiang, if you don't get out, I'm going to go in!"
Lin Changqiang knew this was Lin Dong's ultimatum. For the past month, whenever he wanted to be lazy and stay in bed, Lin Dong would rush in, shouting his name, pulling him out of bed with a confused look on his face, and shouting at him with a tone full of ambition—"Lin Changqiang! Have you forgotten our dream?"
Then, without saying a word, he would drag him away to the back mountain, making Lin Changqiang secretly wonder if Lin Dong was possessed by the thick-browed young man in some anime.
"I'm coming."
After answering weakly, Lin Changqiang sighed helplessly, climbed out of bed, quickly washed up, and then staggered out of the yard.
"Squeak--" the door opened.
Lin Dong looked up and down at the boy in front of him, who was slightly taller than him, and couldn't help but sigh in amazement: "Changqiang, if we hadn't practiced together every day for more than a month, I wouldn't believe that you are the same little fat boy from more than a month ago."
"Alright, alright, you've said this so many times, aren't you annoying (▽｀)ノ"
Although he said disgust, Lin Changqiang was actually very happy in his heart. After all, everyone who successfully loses weight will feel more or less satisfied and proud when someone praises them for losing weight.
Of course, he hadn't expected that after losing weight, he'd look similar to his past life, still as dashing and handsome as ever (￣▽￣).
"Come on, I won't run anymore. I'll practice Tongbei Quan and Lieshi Leg with you every day." With that, Lin Changqiang playfully extended his right hand and expertly wrapped it around Lin Dong's shoulder. Together, they walked towards the back mountain, arm in arm.
"No need to practice Tongbei Quan today." Lin Dong, already accustomed to Lin Changqiang's little habits, simply smiled. "My father just taught me a second-grade martial art, the Eight Desolate Palm, yesterday. Didn't you say you were a martial arts prodigy? You could master this low-level martial art just by reading it a few times? How about we practice it today?"
Lin Dong had been skeptical of Lin Changqiang's words, thinking he'd take this opportunity to see if he was just kidding.
Naturally, Lin Changqiang was overjoyed and quietly glanced at his personal information.
[Host: Lin Changqiang]
[Cultivation Level: Fifth Level of the Body Tempering Realm (92%)]
Pubfuture Ads
[Martial Arts: Stone-Splitting Leg (Rank 1), Tongbei Fist (Rank 1), Eight Desolate Palm (Rank 2, 2%)]
[Practice Method: None]
[Spiritual Power Level: None]
[Secret Technique: None]
[Spiritual Power Method: None]
[Treasures: Double Experience Cards × 2, Double Gold Cards × 2, Inner Demon Experience Card]
[Number of Lottery Draws: None]
"Wow, Lin Dong is really good. He just got this martial art yesterday, and he mastered almost 7% of it overnight!"
"It's a pity I went to bed a little early last night and didn't practice the Eight Desolate Palm as a supplementary skill. Otherwise, with today's practice, I would have mastered it to a certain extent." Lin Changqiang smacked his lips, symbolically expressing regret for a second, and then a thought came to his mind, "System, practice the Eight Desolate Palm!"
[Dong, congratulations to the host, the supplementary practice is completed, and the proficiency has been obtained by 20%. The current proficiency is 22%]
"Hehehe~~"
Lin Changqiang couldn't help but let out a Soul Palace guardian-level laugh. Lin Dong on the side just felt that this guy was inexplicable. Why was he so excited about a second-grade martial art?
Not long after, the two came to the open space where they usually practiced. Lin Changqiang skillfully sat cross-legged on the lawn, while Lin Dong consciously walked to the center of the open space and began to explain and demonstrate the Eight Desolate Palm.
"The Eight Desolate Palm is known for its ferocity, with its wide opening and closing strokes. While seemingly simple and unadorned, its power is imbued within the palm." Lin Dong paused for a moment, then quickly resumed his movements. "However, if subtle modifications are made to it, this already incredibly powerful technique can be imbued with a touch of softness. While at first glance, the difference might seem the same, it can inflict significant disadvantages in combat."
Upon hearing this, Lin Changqiang knew that Lin Dong was about to teach him the Eight Desolate Palm, enhanced by the Ancestral Stone. A warm feeling surged within him. While he could have learned it even without Lin Dong's instruction, Lin Dong didn't know this; it was his intention.
"The Eight Desolate Palm, combining both hardness and softness, when mastered, is as powerful as the tenth strike of the Tongbei Fist."
"I understand!" Lin Changqiang nodded seriously. This meant that the Tongbei Fist's basic attack was less than the Eight Desolate Palm's basic attack, and less than the Tongbei Fist's ultimate move.
"Even your father didn't know you'd practiced Tongbeiquan to the tenth ring, but I do. As expected, you've always treated me like your own..."
"Pah!"
"Ah!"
Before Lin Changqiang could finish his words, Lin Dong, feigning anger, picked up a small stone and dropped it on his thigh. Lin Changqiang, knowing when to stop, feigned pain and let out a scream.
"I wish you could change this habit someday. Otherwise, if you ever run into a tough guy who attacks you and you can't defeat him, I won't intervene."
Lin Dong took a few deep breaths, calming himself. In his opinion, Lin Changqiang was perfect. After all, when he was weak, he was the only one of the younger members of the Lin family who helped him and Qingtan. He was just too demanding. At first, he'd thought Lin Changqiang was helping him out of affection for Qingtan, but now it seemed he was simply kindhearted and couldn't stand bullying.
"Haha, I'm not stupid," Lin Changqiang said proudly. "Of course I won't cause trouble when I meet someone I can't afford to offend."
"???"
Lin Dong's limited edition black emoticon pack is released.
Of course, Lin Dong has always been a man of honor, so he doesn't really care too much about Lin Changqiang's occasional jokes. He shook his head and continued to demonstrate the Eight Desolate Palm. Lin Changqiang nodded and pretended to watch.
That day, after sparring with Lin Changqiang on the Eight Desolate Palm, Lin Dong began to question his life.