"Goodbye, Teacher Su!"
After more than a dozen five- and six-year-old children clasped their hands and bade Su Que farewell, they slung their book bags over their backs and skipped out of the school.
Su Que nodded and smiled in response. Only after all the children had left did the smile gradually fade from his face, and he let out a sigh.
Name: Su Que (17 years old) Lifespan: 15 years Talent Value: 1
He had not originally belonged to this world.
Only three days ago had he transmigrated into this body.
The former owner of this body had also been named Su Que, an honest and dutiful schoolteacher.
The original Su Que had passed the county examination and become a xiucai at fifteen, after which he had begun preparing for the Provincial Civil Service Examination.
But his family had been poor. He had needed to teach at the School during the day and study by lamplight at night.
Since he was merely a xiucai and still young, he could only teach young children their first lessons at the School.
His wages were far inferior to those of the experienced old scholars.
The original Su Que had been exceedingly diligent, sleeping very little each day, and three days ago, he had unfortunately died from sudden exhaustion.
Su Que had transmigrated here at precisely that moment and taken over the original owner's body.
When he transmigrated, his golden finger awakened along with him.
At the time, some information concerning the golden finger had appeared in his mind.
Through this golden finger, he could see his remaining Lifespan and Talent Value.
Talent Value was tied to his remaining Lifespan.
If his remaining Lifespan increased, his Talent Value would increase as well.
Talent Value represented his natural bone structure, aptitude, and comprehension.
The higher his Talent Value, the faster he would learn and cultivate.
"With this golden finger, I can learn all sorts of techniques that nourish life and prolong my years, extend my Lifespan, and raise my Talent Value!"
As Su Que thought this, he slipped a hand into his clothes and felt around for his money pouch.
The School had paid out this month's wages today.
Together with the wages the original owner had saved and thirty percent of this month's pay, it was enough for him to learn the Five Animal Frolics at Hui Chun Tang.
After inheriting the original owner's memories, this was the only technique he could think of that could nourish life and prolong his years.
He had heard that Hua Chunji, the physician of Hui Chun Tang, was already a centenarian. It was said that he had practiced the Five Animal Frolics, which was why he remained hale and hearty even now, capable of eating three bowls of rice in one meal.
Su Que wanted to see whether practicing the Five Animal Frolics could increase his Lifespan.
As he pondered this, he packed up his books and left the School.
The School where he taught was in the south of the city.
Hui Chun Tang was in East City.
When Su Que reached East City, he saw martial arts schools and medical clinics lined one after another.
In the original owner's memories, this was a world where martial arts flourished.
All kinds of martial arts emerged one after another.
"Once I have the time, I should practice martial arts too."
"For self-protection."
Su Que thought to himself.
The Liang Kingdom currently faced harassment from neighboring countries beyond its borders, while rebel armies and bandits ran rampant within.
If circumstances allowed, even a scholar who spent all day dancing with brush and ink had to learn martial arts to defend himself.
Even tiny Jade Water City, where he lived, had six local gangs.
And at times, conflicts between gangs often dragged innocent commoners into the fray.
Without martial arts, one might lose one's life for nothing.
He planned to train his martial arts until he could protect himself, then find a small city more prosperous than Jade Water City, cultivate some health-preserving techniques that could extend his Lifespan, and live steadily and happily in this world.
As Su Que planned for the future, he arrived at Hui Chun Tang.
After explaining his purpose to an attendant, the attendant led Su Que to one of Hua Chunji's disciples.
The disciple accepted Su Que's silver, registered him, and told him to wait in the large courtyard behind Hui Chun Tang.
The disciple said that at the third quarter of the hour of the Rooster each day, his senior brother would teach the Five Animal Frolics there.
Su Que did as instructed and went to the large courtyard. Besides himself, there were over fifty others there, ranging from people in their twenties to people in their fifties.
After about the time it took for an incense stick to burn, a robust and energetic middle-aged man arrived.
The man first introduced himself, saying that he was Hua Chunji's third disciple, Ji Hai.
After Ji Hai carefully explained the principles behind the Five Animal Frolics, he began to demonstrate them.
Su Que and the others hurriedly focused their attention and watched.
After watching Ji Hai demonstrate three times, Su Que and the others began practicing under Ji Hai's guidance.
Only after more than an hour did that day's lesson come to an end.
Su Que's heart stirred, and several lines of black text appeared before him.
Name: Su Que (17 years old) Lifespan: 15 years Talent Value: 1 Martial Art: Five Animal Frolics (Beginner 10%)
Seeing the Five Animal Frolics appear on the panel, Su Que was delighted.
As long as he diligently practiced the Five Animal Frolics in the future, his Lifespan would increase, which would in turn increase his Talent Value and speed up his cultivation.
Once his cultivation speed increased, the Five Animal Frolics' training progress would also rise, which would in turn increase his Lifespan and Talent Value...
Just like a snowball rolling downhill!
If he found several more health-preserving techniques to practice, he would live longer and longer—perhaps he might even attain immortality!
Su Que's heart burned hot as he thought while walking home.
His parents had died one after another before the original owner turned thirteen.
After that, the original owner and his elder sister, Su Jing, who was three years older than him, had depended on each other for survival.
Before the original owner passed the county examination, his sister Su Jing had worked several jobs by herself, barely holding their Household together.
When he returned home, he saw his sister Su Jing bringing in the laundry.
Though his sister was no stunning beauty, she had delicate features and a graceful figure.
There were, in truth, quite a few men who wished to propose marriage.
Several matchmakers had come as well, but because his sister wanted to care for him, she had politely turned down every one of them.
Aside from the original owner teaching at the School, his sister had also constantly done needlework for others at home.
The original owner had shown early wisdom, and his parents and older sister Su Jing had all hoped that he would one day win honors in the imperial examinations.
Especially after the original owner's parents died, when he passed the county examination at fifteen.
Su Jing's expectations for the original owner had grown even greater.
Su Que also intended to go to the prefectural city next year to take the Provincial Civil Service Examination.
After all, the original owner had worked himself to the bone and prepared for the Provincial Civil Service Examination for a long time.
Now, his mind was filled with memories related to the imperial examination's contents.
He did not want to waste those memories, so he might as well take the Provincial Civil Service Examination. If he happened to pass and become a juren, perhaps he could find himself an official post in the future.
Moreover, if he became a juren, even if he did not become an official, his standing at the School would rise like the tide, and his wages would naturally be incomparable to before.
"Xiao Que, you're back!"
When Su Jing saw Su Que enter the courtyard, she hurriedly put away the clothes and served him food.
Ten days later, at Hui Chun Tang.
"All right, Teacher Su. You've already mastered the Five Animal Frolics."
After watching Su Que perform it once and seeing no more errors in his movements, Ji Hai said this to him.
Su Que nodded. From now on, he could practice at home without having to run to Hui Chun Tang every day.
After dinner, Su Que went to the weed-choked little courtyard at home and began practicing the Five Animal Frolics.
Name: Su Que Lifespan: 15 years Talent Value: 1 Martial Art: Five Animal Frolics (Beginner 99%)
His Five Animal Frolics would soon cross the threshold of "Beginner."
The Five Animal Frolics consisted of five plays: Tiger, Deer, Bear, Ape, and Bird.
Tiger Play governed the liver, Deer Play governed the kidneys, Bear Play governed the spleen, Ape Play governed the heart, and Bird Play governed the lungs.
Practice all five plays, and all five viscera would be nourished.
Su Que shifted and moved through the courtyard, taking the five forms of tiger, deer, bear, ape, and bird, a faint sheen of sweat appearing on his body.
After practicing for the time it took an incense stick to burn, he suddenly felt a force about to burst forth from his internal organs.
Even without looking at the panel, he knew that the Five Animal Frolics was about to break through into a new realm.
"I wonder how much Lifespan it can add after Beginner?"
Su Que thought with anticipation filling his heart.
Suddenly.
This long-brewing force erupted from within his body, yet it then turned into tiny blades that stabbed toward his internal organs.
An unbearable agony instantly exploded within him!
"Pfft!"
A metallic taste surged into his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood!
A cloud of bloody mist rose into the air, droplets of blood scattering down and forming specks across the ground.
"What's going on?"
Su Que's face turned pale as he summoned the panel.
Name: Su Que (17 years old) Lifespan: 13 years Talent Value: 1 Martial Art: Five Animal Frolics (Initial Glimpse 1%)
"Practicing the Five Animal Frolics actually reduced my Lifespan by two years?!"
Su Que turned and glanced at Su Jing, who was still in the kitchen. Seeing that she had not noticed anything here, he felt slightly relieved and hurriedly used his foot to scrape dirt over the bloodstains on the ground.
Then, he began to ponder.
After coughing up that mouthful of blood, his internal organs felt as though they were being scorched by flames.
On his first day practicing the Five Animal Frolics, he had heard the medical clinic's instructor say that practicing it could temper the internal organs and nourish life, prolonging one's years.
Yet after practicing the Five Animal Frolics, his internal organs had been damaged and his Lifespan had decreased.
It was completely the other way around!
Thus, a somewhat unbelievable thought arose in his mind.
Could it be that whenever I cultivate martial arts, the effects they produce on my body are completely reversed?
Su Que narrowed his eyes slightly.
After pondering further, he gradually felt that, after transmigrating and awakening his golden finger, such a thing happening to him was not impossible!
"Practicing the Five Animal Frolics can't save me anyway!"
"Why not find an evil art that harms the body and give it a try!"
Before you continue