Qi and Blood 1.33, Entry Stage

Life Plaza, first floor.

The modern "Flying Swallow" logo came into view.

The entire floor belonged to Flying Swallow Martial Hall.

Li Linling could barely wait any longer.

"I'm going to change into my training clothes first. See you two junior brothers in the cafeteria."

Lu Chenzhou looked at the lavishly decorated martial hall and thought to himself.

I have to learn properly. One class costs two thousand.

Qin Zheng quickly followed after her, trailing in his senior sister's footsteps.

"Come on, Chenzhou. Let's eat first. Afterward, I'll show you around the martial hall, then have you test your qi and blood. You'll need to make an appointment with the hall master before class."

"Thank you, President."

Inside the martial hall, a group of young people trained with great fervor before all kinds of fitness equipment and wooden dummies. As long as they had a membership card, they could use the ordinary facilities freely during its validity period.

The martial hall did not make money from those things. Its real profits came from core member classes.

The three members of the Martial Arts Society then ate carefully balanced meals in the cafeteria. There was no shortage of high-protein sea fish and beef, and Lu Chenzhou ate until he was eighty percent full.

After resting to digest his food.

Lu Chenzhou changed into a black training uniform embroidered with a Flying Swallow Skimming the Sea design. The martial hall had given it to him, and he could take it home to wear. Looking in the mirror, he seemed much more spirited.

After making a round of the place, Lu Chenzhou still did not see Shi Ruyu. She presumably had not arrived yet. After exchanging greetings, Qin Zheng brought Lu Chenzhou to the qi-and-blood testing room.

Someone inside had just finished testing.

A mechanical voice sounded.

Qi and blood value: 2.50. Fifth Stage standard reached.

The person let out a breath, withdrew his stance, and stood still.

As he walked out, Qin Zheng seemed to know him and greeted him.

"Huang Hao, congratulations on reaching Fifth Stage."

Huang Hao nodded and strode away.

Qin Zheng pursed his lips, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Lu Chenzhou looked at his phone, pretending not to notice.

Qin Zheng glanced back, then said quietly:

"This guy also lives in the Inner City. His family and mine are neighbors, but he has medium-grade bones and attends Pingjiang Affiliated Martial School. He reached Perfection in Basic Fist Art during his first year of middle school. He's only one year older than us, yet I'm still First Stage while he's already Fifth Stage."

Comparing people could make a person mad.

Especially someone like Huang Hao, who did not seem malicious but simply did not regard him as worth noticing. That sense of separation between two worlds hurt Qin Zheng a little.

Lu Chenzhou consoled him.

"Don't compare yourself to others."

He entered the testing room.

Please wear the sensor device as instructed. If you are a Martial Warrior, demonstrate Basic Fist Art once. If you are an ordinary person, simply throw a full-force punch. Before testing, taking any qi-and-blood-enhancing supplements still within their effective duration is prohibited. Prohibited...

Lu Chenzhou focused his mind and calmed his breath, like a tiger or leopard about to hunt.

The test began.

In an instant, his aura erupted, and he entered a self-forgetful state of fist practice. He performed Basic Fist Art at Major Accomplishment with movements as smooth as flowing clouds and running water, without the slightest feeling of obstruction.

Qin Zheng watched.

"I clearly reached Major Accomplishment earlier. Why does it feel like Chenzhou is doing it better than me?"

Senior Sister Li, dressed in Flying Swallow attire, also came over.

"Chenzhou has already started testing? Not bad."

She was Second Stage, the ceiling of the Martial Arts Society's combat strength.

Qin Zheng asked, "Senior Sister, are you testing too?"

"No. I was only at 1.5 a month ago. I'm still far from Third Stage."

The two watched Lu Chenzhou punch with focused, appreciative eyes. With Lu Chenzhou's family circumstances, his training was no worse than theirs. That was the power of hard work!

Qi and blood value: 1.33. First Stage standard reached.

Lu Chenzhou looked at the display and let out a breath.

The qi-and-blood standard for First Stage was 1.2. Every stage afterward required 1.2 times the previous stage's baseline. He was not far from the 1.44 required for Second Stage.

"I've entered a stage!"

He was an Entry Stage Martial Warrior now as well.

"Hahaha, everyone in our Martial Arts Society has entered a stage!"

Qin Zheng clapped and cheered.

Senior Sister Li smiled as well.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother."

A rare smile appeared on Lu Chenzhou's face.

"Thank you, President. Thank you, Senior Sister."

"Let's go. We're heading to the training ground. The hall master has arrived."

At the training ground.

A middle-aged man with a crew cut, standing one meter eighty-five tall and draped in a golden Flying Swallow uniform, stood upright as a pine. With his hands behind his back, his gaze swept across the students before him.

Bright-Winged Swallow, Ji Xuantong!

According to the martial hall's introduction, he had graduated from Dragon City University of Martial Arts in the north. It was one of the twenty-four top martial schools, known as the "24-School Alliance."

Ji Xuantong looked toward Lu Chenzhou in the farthest corner.

"You're the newest student, right?"

"Hello, Teacher. My name is Lu Chenzhou."

"You have thirty core classes. You can make appointments with me when the time comes. Don't let your membership card expire. There are no refunds after expiration. Our Flying Swallow Martial Hall also has free public classes every evening at eight. Anyone with time can come and listen."

Ji Xuantong's voice was full and powerful.

"Today's public class will be taught by your new senior sister, an amateur Seventh Stage expert. She'll lead you through an hour of practice next. Welcome Shi Ruyu!"

Hearing that name, Qin Zheng and Senior Sister Li were both greatly surprised. Lu Chenzhou was somewhat surprised as well. He knew Shi Ruyu was here, but he had not expected her to have reached Seventh Stage.

Shi Ruyu stood gracefully in a silver Flying Swallow uniform.

She cupped her fists in greeting and introduced herself.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Shi Ruyu. I graduated from Pingjiang Martial University, where I studied under Sky-Surging Ape, Yuan Tianqi. I specialize in Ape Form from the Form Imitation school and am skilled in White Ape Fist. I now study under Teacher Ji Xuantong. From now on, I'll substitute for your public classes. Rather than teaching, it would be more accurate to call it an exchange. Let us all improve together!"

After speaking, she glanced at Lu Chenzhou in the corner. She had not expected this kid to come too. Could it be that he was following in her footsteps? Because her comprehension was quite good, Ji Xuantong had taken a liking to her. She had formally become his disciple not long ago and was now ranked as his second true disciple.

Meanwhile, Lu Chenzhou was thinking about the title Sky-Surging Ape. It sounded like a formidable Martial Artist. He wondered who was stronger, Sky-Surging Ape or Bright-Winged Swallow.

After introducing Shi Ruyu to everyone, the hall master left.

He was a busy man. Only core member classes gave students the chance to see him.

The public classes mainly taught Basic Fist Art. After all, they were free, so they certainly would not cover anything too profound, and every assistant instructor specialized in different fist arts. After leading everyone through an hour of practice, Shi Ruyu began answering the students' questions.

Lu Chenzhou looked at the Martial Dao Tree and worked hard to regulate his breathing with the Innate Breathing Method.

Basic Fist Art: Major Accomplishment (3%) → Major Accomplishment (4%)

It'll reach Perfection soon.

Once there was no longer anyone around Shi Ruyu.

Lu Chenzhou walked over.

"Senior Sister, may I ask some questions about Black Tiger Fist?"

"Of course. Ask away, though I only understand a little myself."

It grew late.

"Chenzhou, Senior Sister Li and I are heading back first. You should go home early too."

Qin Zheng left.

"Junior Brother really works hard."

Before leaving, Li Linling looked at Lu Chenzhou, who was still sparring with Shi Ruyu and getting thoroughly thrashed, and sighed from the bottom of her heart. He truly lived up to Class Nine's title of "martial arts fanatic."

The students gradually dispersed.

Before leaving the hall, Ji Xuantong noticed that the sweat-soaked Lu Chenzhou was still sparring with Shi Ruyu. He had learned from Lu Guoping that this child was obsessed with martial arts.

"What a pity. His bones are utterly ordinary."

He shook his head faintly and vanished into the night.

This world had never lacked hardworking people.

Bang! Lu Chenzhou was sent flying backward.

He looked at Shi Ruyu, who remained calm and composed.

"The gap between Seventh Stage and First Stage is too huge."

"Reaching First Stage at your age is already very good. Lu Chenzhou, train hard. You must go to Wuda! Even an ordinary Wuda has teachers and resources that private martial halls cannot compare with. I believe you can undergo a tremendous transformation in four years."

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister. I've also troubled you to work overtime."

"It's fine. Mainly, it isn't safe at night, so go home early... Oh, right, where do you live? If we're going the same way, we can head back together."

"I live in the Outer City, so I probably won't be going the same way as Senior Sister."

From what Lu Chenzhou had observed over these past days, Shi Ruyu's family circumstances should be quite good as well. She could earn money herself too, so she most likely lived in the Inner City.

"Alright, then be careful."

Not long after, Shi Ruyu emerged from the changing room. Carrying a bag on her back, she had changed into her own athletic clothes and little white sneakers. After waving goodbye to Lu Chenzhou, she quickly left.

Lu Chenzhou stood where he was, looking at the Martial Dao Tree.

Black Tiger Fist: Initiation (4%) → Initiation (6%)

At this pace, Black Tiger Fist will reach Proficiency soon.

Coming to this martial hall had been the right choice.

Not even counting Ji Xuantong's classes.

Just being able to spar with Shi Ruyu made it more than worth it.

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