Smash Him With Money

Xu Zhiming gently exhaled the stale air from his lungs.

Beside him, Zeng Hao's eyes were wide open, not daring to miss a single movement.

He also practiced Wind Thunder Fist and knew how to tell whether it had reached the fourth stage.

After completing a full cycle of Wind Thunder Fist, a rumbling sound akin to thunder would emanate from the body.

The two in the office held their breath, afraid of disturbing Xu Zhiming.

Zeng Hao watched Xu Zhiming's movements—smooth and flowing, without the slightest pause.

Every motion was so graceful and precise, just like the fourth-stage Wind Thunder Fist demonstrations he'd seen online.

Zeng Hao tapped his head, wondering why that thought had suddenly popped up.

He practiced Wind Thunder Fist too, having broken through to the third stage a month ago.

His movements were far less fluid than Xu Zhiming's.

As he watched Xu Zhiming's motions draw to a close, his heart involuntarily rose to his throat.

At this moment, he vaguely began to believe that Xu Zhiming had indeed reached the fourth stage of Wind Thunder Fist.

Could hard work really pay off?

Rumble, rumble...

Zeng Hao's eyes went wide, and he slapped his thigh hard.

He was about to shout a curse.

But then he noticed there was still someone else, recording Xu Zhiming on video.

He'd just heard that it was a very promising job.

He couldn't afford to disturb Xu Zhiming.

Xu Zhiming withdrew his fists, feeling as if an electric current was surging through his entire body.

[You have practiced Wind Thunder Fist a hundred times. Qi and blood increased by 0.01. Triggered 100x Critical Hit. Qi and blood increased by 1.]

The current suddenly intensified many times over, and his whole body went numb in an instant.

Every cell in his body cheered from the inside out.

Xu Zhiming's brows relaxed, and a guess flashed through his mind.

Perhaps this electric current was the key to enhancing his potential.

He pulled up his panel.

[Host: Xu Zhiming]

[Level: Eight]

[Qi and Blood: 9.45]

[Martial Technique: E-rank Wind Thunder Fist (Fourth Stage)]

Xu Zhiming's mind was clear as a mirror.

Before, practicing Wind Thunder Fist ten times had triggered a 50x Critical Hit.

Now, practicing it a hundred times had triggered a 100x Critical Hit.

Heavenly Dao Rewards Diligence—nothing more than this.

The more repetitions, the higher the critical hit multiplier.

To Zeng Hao's ears, the sound of the electric current suddenly grew many times louder. If he hadn't known the sound was coming from Xu Zhiming's body, he would have almost shouted out.

The female clerk had originally thought she might not be able to tell.

But now she was certain too—the clear sound of thunder.

The store manager had said that thunder meant the fourth stage of Wind Thunder Fist.

She immediately sent the video to the store manager.

By helping the manager find Xu Zhiming, her salary this month was sure to rise.

But compared to the man before her, it was still far, far too little.

She quickly poured Xu Zhiming a cup of tea.

After a moment, the clerk noticed a resentful gaze.

Only then did she remember Zeng Hao.

"You two sit and chat. I'll go ask the manager."

After the clerk left, Zeng Hao gave Xu Zhiming a thumbs up.

"I'm completely convinced. I'll never say hard work is useless again."

Xu Zhiming nodded.

Finally, he wouldn't have to listen to Zeng Hao spouting that hard work was useless anymore.

He asked the question that had been on his mind.

"Tell me, why do you think hard work is useless?"

A bitter smile crept across Zeng Hao's lips, and his tone dropped low.

"If I tell you, don't laugh at me."

Xu Zhiming nodded, took a sip of tea, and waited for Zeng Hao to speak.

"Fine."

Zeng Hao sat on the sofa and began slowly.

"I have a cousin with B-grade talent. His family situation is about the same as mine, but he's already a ninth-rank martial artist now."

"When he entered high school, he took the martial skill I chose to cultivate as an elective. He only took it as an elective, yet his cultivation speed was way faster than mine."

"Later, he said something to me: hard work is worthless in the face of talent and resources."

"He told me to just settle for a martial arts vocational college and not to think about making anything of myself in the martial path."

"My parents kept saying I wasn't working hard enough. My mentality just collapsed."

Xu Zhiming nodded.

In novel terms, Zeng Hao's situation was a collapse of his dao heart.

A collapsed dao heart leading to some extreme behavior—barely understandable.

"What's his name?"

"Yu Qingqing."

Xu Zhiming's eyes flickered.

"He's in our school's special training class, right?"

Zeng Hao nodded heavily.

"I heard from my mom that his blood energy has reached eleven points now, and he wants to break through to the tenth rank by the Martial Arts Exam."

"Yesterday, I saw him post on his Moments that he unexpectedly got someone to give him two bottles of F-grade Azure Potion."

"I really don't get it. Someone like him actually gets potions gifted to him. The person who gave them to him must be blind."

Xu Zhiming's face darkened. At least he wasn't talking about him.

"Those two bottles of Azure Potion were snatched from me in the school's potion room."

"I've remembered your grudge. In a little while, watch me knock him out of the special training class."

Zeng Hao stared blankly at Xu Zhiming.

Today, the homeroom teacher hadn't publicly paraded Xu Zhiming in front of the class.

They'd even whispered among themselves that the teacher had changed his ways, actually not rewarding Xu Zhiming.

Turns out the school's promised rewards hadn't been given to the student.

Damn, that was really disgusting.

If he ever got the chance, he'd definitely report it!

Hearing Xu Zhiming say he wanted to cause trouble for his cousin, Zeng Hao waved his hand and shook his head.

"Xu Zhiming, you're no match for him. He's the school's top student's lackey. You can't afford to mess with him."

Xu Zhiming smiled and didn't say more.

"Aren't you going back to work hard? Don't keep saying hard work is useless from now on."

Zeng Hao scratched his head tactically.

He remembered he'd come to buy potions to prepare for breaking through to the fifth-rank martial artist.

"Alright."

Zeng Hao pushed the door open, ready to leave, and saw Xu Zhiming get up to continue practicing his punches.

A firm resolve gradually appeared in his eyes.

Maybe persistence and hard work don't show results in the short term.

Streams merge into rivers, rivers merge into the sea.

Keep at it unrelentingly, and eventually, like Xu Zhiming, flowers will bloom.

Zeng Hao bought two bottles of F-grade Azure Potion and left carrying them.

He was going to learn from Xu Zhiming.

"I ran into Xu Zhiming today when I bought the Azure Potion."

"Accidentally discovered a secret—Xu Zhiming's Wind Thunder Fist has reached the fourth layer!"

The class group chat fell silent for a moment.

Then it erupted.

"Wind Thunder Fist, fourth layer! I always said Xu Zhiming would be the best in our class ten, and I wasn't wrong."

"I wonder who was saying this morning that Xu Zhiming shouldn't bother trying, that effort is useless in the face of talent."

Zeng Hao's face burned, but he still typed a reply.

"I want to apologize to Xu Zhiming. Effort works!"

"I'll learn from him from now on!"

Cloud Water City.

Wind Thunder Martial Hall.

Inside a certain training room.

A youth wearing the Wind Thunder Martial Hall training uniform had a knife scar on his face, like a doll crudely stitched back together.

It added a hint of ferocity to what was originally a handsome young face.

The youth stared intently at a video.

On the screen.

Xu Zhiming was slowly executing the Wind Thunder Fist.

"Smoothness maxed out. My sister's office is so spacious, and I could still hear the thunderclap—definitely a true fourth-layer Wind Thunder Fist."

Especially since he saw that Xu Zhiming wasn't much older, likely a senior high student like himself.

"Sis, this is the one. I'm going to find him. I have to break through to the fourth layer of Wind Thunder Fist!"

"If you can't break through to the fourth layer in one month, you have to give up on Wind Thunder Fist and advance to level ten."

The youth curled his lip, annoyed by his sister's message.

"I'll go find him. Give me the money, and I'll negotiate with him myself."

The youth put down his phone, pulled a mask from his pocket, and muttered in a voice only he could hear.

"I can definitely do it!"

"If he dares to hold back, I'll just throw money at him!"

Azure Potion.

Xu Zhiming waited for about half an hour. He didn't waste time, continuously practicing the Wind Thunder Fist.

Suddenly.

Xu Zhiming was interrupted mid-motion by a loud crash.

A faint discomfort stirred in his heart.

The office door burst open violently, slamming against the walls on both sides with a booming echo.

A shallow footprint was imprinted on one half of the door.

"That handsome guy who knows Wind Thunder Fist—I'm entrusting my hundred-plus pounds to you!"

If you find this book enjoyable, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose track next time.