At the beginning of the month, Su Yu took stock of his assets, his brows furrowing slightly.
All told, he had less than one tael of Broken Silver left. It was only enough to buy two doses of Herbal Decoction, at most.
These days, the Herbal Decoction had become a necessity for his training. It not only accelerated his Skill Level with the White Ape Six Transformations but was also crucial for accumulating Breakthrough Points.
'Without money, martial arts training is incredibly inefficient.'
So, Su Yu made a decisive choice: get money!
It just so happened that the Qian Family Fishing Team was gathering again, providing an opportunity to venture deep into the Black Water River.
The Bibo Fishbone Skill from the Qin Family greatly improved one's combat ability in water, but much had been held back when it was taught.
Based on Su Yu's current knowledge, it was highly likely that this Fishbone Skill had a corresponding Pile Skill they had not been taught.
If he had the corresponding Pile Skill, Su Yu was certain his training speed for the Fishbone Skill would increase significantly.
"Senior Brother Xu, I'd like to request a few days of leave."
Xu Feng was somewhat surprised. "Master Qin herself is overseeing the assessment tomorrow. If you leave now, you'll miss her guidance."
"I'm forced to by my circumstances. I'm short on funds," Su Yu admitted frankly.
'What I need most right now isn't guidance, it's Herbal Decoction. I have to make a choice.'
Xu Feng fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Go on, then. You're a smart man; you know how to weigh your priorities."
...
Taking a rare opportunity to leave the martial arts hall, Su Yu decided to take a stroll through the Outer City.
The Outer City was as bustling as ever, showing no signs of these chaotic times.
On Jin Yu Street, shops lined the road, their banners fluttering in the wind.
"Flatbread! Get your freshly baked sesame flatbread!"
Su Yu took out five copper plates and bought two, gnawing on one as he wandered aimlessly.
From time to time, young women in silk dresses laughed and joked around on the street. The sight of their fair necks and wrists in the winter sun was a beautiful one.
Su Yu zoned out for a moment.
'I've been in this world for so long, but I've never truly taken a break. I've been constantly hustling just to survive.'
'On weekends in my past life, I used to wander through pedestrian streets just like this, watching all the pretty girls walk by.'
'Maybe I should take some time to relax and just browse.'
The very next moment, however, he cast the thought aside.
'What's the point of window shopping? It's meaningless.'
'The fun back then was having girls around, wearing black stockings, white stockings, nude-colored ones... all kinds of stockings, really.'
'Wandering around by myself now is a complete waste of time. It's nowhere near as satisfying as watching my Skill Level and Breakthrough progress increase as my body grows stronger.'
The next moment, as he finished the flatbread, familiar text lit up before him.
[Breakthrough Progress +1%]
[Breakthrough Points]: 1 (Progress: 0%)
'Haha, I finally accumulated another Breakthrough Point!'
'The fact that Breakthrough Points can only be used to Break the Limit of skills and Martial Arts at the Perfection stage is a bit of a hassle.'
Su Yu checked his complete status panel.
[Su Yu]
[Martial Arts]: White Ape Six Transformations (entry-level 410/800), Bibo Fishbone Skill (entry-level 20/100)
[Skills]: Casting Net (Limit Broken 1 time)
[Traits]: Net Casting is a path unto itself. Guaranteed to catch a fish within three casts.
[Breakthrough Points]: 1 (Progress: 0%)
'I gave it a try, and just as I thought, only Casting Net showed the prompt to Break the Limit. But the fact that I can Break the Limit on it multiple times means my future potential is incredibly high!'
'Breaking the limit on Casting Net just once granted the powerful ability of a guaranteed catch within three tries. I can't imagine what breaking it a second time will do.'
'And then a third, a fourth...'
'There's also another rule I figured out from experience: once you have a full Breakthrough Point, you can't accumulate any more progress toward the next one!'
Considering it would be difficult to bring his two Martial Arts—the White Ape Six Transformations and the Bibo Fishbone Skill—to the Perfection stage anytime soon, Su Yu didn't hesitate to use the Breakthrough Point on his Net Casting Skill.
[Net Casting Skill: 2nd Limit Break Successful]
[Skills]: Casting Net [Limit Broken 2 times]
[Traits]: Net Casting is a path unto itself. Guaranteed to catch a fish within three casts. Within five catches, the chance of landing a rare fish is greatly increased.
"Yes!" Su Yu couldn't help but clench his fist. He wasn't short on ordinary fish; what he truly needed were the rare ones.
'If I can land a valuable catch, how could I possibly worry about not having enough silver taels?'
...
「Qian Family Courtyard.」
"Su Yu? You're here early, kid." Qian Wenhao, who was practicing his boxing bare-chested, grinned as Su Yu entered. "You can stay here tonight. No sense in wasting money on a room outside."
"Thank you, Captain Qian."
Su Yu didn't stand on ceremony. He found a corner and, taking advantage of the Qian Family's training grounds, began to quietly practice his White Ape Six Transformations.
Qian Wenhao glanced over and chuckled, "That kid. He sure knows how to seize an opportunity, coming to the Qian Family's home just to practice his forms."
But a flash of admiration crossed his eyes. Hardworking people earned respect wherever they went.
「The next morning, at the Black Water River ferry crossing.」
In the morning mist, three colossal vessels were moored quietly by the bank.
Those were the Qian Family's Black Water Treasure Ships!
The ships were over a hundred feet long. The flagship in the center was especially imposing, its entire hull clad in dark iron plates. Its mast soared toward the clouds, making it look like an iron behemoth lying dormant on the water, exuding a suffocating pressure.
Su Yu stood on the deck of the starboard escort ship, among the members of Team C.
Beside him were a few familiar faces: the cold and arrogant Bai Shun; Gao Xiaoshuang, who snorted disdainfully at him; and the honest-looking Zhou Brothers.
Qian Wenhao stood on a high perch, his voice booming like a great bell:
"Men! We'll be on the river for seven or eight days this trip! The Third Young Miss is leading us personally, so I want every one of you on your toes!"
"There will be great rewards for anyone who catches a treasure fish! But if I catch anyone slacking off and holding us back, my whip won't be playing favorites!"
"Sir, yes, sir!" the crew roared in unison.
WHOOO—!
The long, drawn-out call of an ox horn pierced the clouds.
The three treasure ships weighed anchor at the same time, cutting through the morning mist as they advanced majestically into the depths of the Black Water River.
...
「Meanwhile, at the White Ape Martial Arts Hall.」
Qin Fangqiong sat upon a Grandmaster's Chair, accepting a peeled orange slice from her disciple, Lin Wanzhu, and eating it with deliberate slowness.
"Wanzhu, is everyone present?"
Lin Wanzhu, dressed in simple and elegant white robes that accentuated her curvaceous figure and ample bosom, opened the register in her hands. "One person is missing," she said softly. "An Outer Courtyard apprentice named Su Yu. He requested leave."
"Taking leave during the monthly assessment?" Master Qin frowned. "What of his aptitude? How long has he been with the hall?"
"He's been here for over a month. His aptitude is poor!"
"Hmph! Why does the hall even keep people like him around? He's just some trash with poor aptitude and no ambition. Just kick him out when he gets back!" Before Master Qin could even speak, Qin Yu, who was at her side, had already snorted and cut in.
"What my junior sister says is reasonable, but we should ask Senior Brother Xu about this. Su Yu is his apprentice."
Xu Feng immediately spoke up. "Master, Su Yu comes from a poor family. He's gone to earn money for his Herbal Decoctions. He's an extremely diligent student, and this... this was a last resort for him."
Qin Yu opened her mouth to retort. She had always looked down on such people.
'No talent, and he can't even face reality. Trash like him will never become a Martial Artist, never turn his life around. What's the point of letting him stay at the hall?'
But Master Qin waved her hand impatiently. "That's enough. Begin the assessment."
Lin Wanzhu nodded, and without crossing out Su Yu's name, continued to read from the list:
"Ma Fei, Li Xiaoruo, Shen Dayu... step forward!"
A total of five people, their expressions a mix of emotions, stepped forward as their names were called.
"The five of you have been at the hall for three months. If you cannot break through the first barrier today, you will be dismissed. Begin!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Xiaoruo and Shen Dayu began their demonstration. They brought their arms together to form a seal, and an instant later, a flow of Qi and Blood surged through their bodies, producing an audible POP.
Their Qi and Blood had broken through the barrier, resulting in a resonant pop and a great increase in their strength.
Although this was only a minor realm, breaking through it made one far stronger than an ordinary person. It signified the true beginning of the body's transformation.
As the two quickly finished their set of the White Ape Six Transformations Pile Skill, the state of having broken through the first barrier was plain to see.
"Very good. Li Xiaoruo, Shen Dayu, you pass!" Lin Wanzhu recorded the results in her register before turning her gaze to the remaining three.
"You three, begin at once! If you can't do it, you will be eliminated immediately."
Ma Fei's face went deathly pale. He could only grit his teeth and desperately go through the motions, his form becoming distorted and veins bulging on his forehead. But inside, his body remained silent; there was no hint of the resonant pop from his Qi and Blood.
The other two fared no better.
"Stop."
Lin Wanzhu closed the register, her voice cold and devoid of emotion:
"Your Qi and Blood did not stir. You have failed to break the barrier. The three of you are to leave the hall by tomorrow. You are no longer apprentices of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall."