Taking the Pulse (2)

Chapter 31: Taking the Pulse (2)

"Hoo..." Lorist let out a long breath and looked up at the intricate, precisely crafted hourglass timer hanging above the grand hall. Such devices were a flagship product of the Kingdom of Trinber, with an annual output of barely over a hundred, each costing more than a thousand Gold Fude. To Lorist, the timer was simply novel in its design, cleverly utilizing gravity and magnetism. When the sand in the upper bulb ran out, a shift in its center of gravity would automatically flip the hourglass, restarting the count.

Beside the hourglass were two glass tubes of unequal size. The larger one had twelve markings; each time the hourglass flipped, the red liquid in the tube would rise one level, representing an hour. When the liquid reached the twelfth mark, it would drain to the bottom and begin rising again. The smaller tube had only six markings, representing minutes within an hour.

This hourglass timer hanging above the grand hall was a gift funded by the faculty and students of the Yellow Ribbon Academy for the sixtieth birthday of its former dean, Sir Aristotle. The Dean had it installed above the hall as a memento, and now it was a boon to Dawnlight Academy.

Every time Lorist saw this timer, he found it amusing. It was a type of clock, after all. In Chinese tradition, giving a clock as a birthday gift to an elder was considered inauspicious, as the word for "clock" sounded like "to see off" or "to bid farewell." And indeed, less than half a year after receiving it, Sir Aristotle had passed away from a sudden heart attack. Perhaps he should give Dean Levens a sand timer for his birthday one day?

Krisha, the Black Iron female instructor beside him, placed the student roster on the table. "Finally done. All the students have been assigned to classes."

Lorist nodded, abandoning his wandering thoughts. "It's almost four o'clock. Everyone take a break. In half an hour, all instructors and assistants will gather for a meeting to discuss class arrangements. Instructor Anfia, please take a few people to organize the student roster. Make a separate list for each class, leaving space next to the names for future notes, just like last time."

Anfia nodded, took the roster, and called over two female instructor assistants to begin copying.

"Hey, Yuri, bring some tea over. I'm too lazy to get up," Lorist called out to Yuri. This time, the academy had allowed Lorist to personally select the members of the Battle Qi Enlightenment Class instructor team, and Lorist had roped in his good friend Yuri.

Just as Lorist was chatting with a few instructors over tea, a middle-aged man in a luxurious robe hurried into the grand hall and approached Lorist. He asked politely, "Excuse me, is this the instructor team for the Battle Qi Enlightenment Class?"

Instructor Hughes replied, "Yes, what is it?"

The middle-aged man turned and walked away, then shouted towards the entrance of the grand hall, "Young master, this is it. You can get out of the carriage now."

What was going on? Lorist and the instructors watched the entrance. Soon, the middle-aged man returned, followed by a very fat man. This man wasn't just fat; he was truly obese. His arms were as thick as Lorist's thighs. He struggled to walk, panting with every step, making everyone watching worry he might collapse at any moment.

The middle-aged man approached Instructor Hughes again and produced an enrollment certificate from his pocket. "My apologies, our young master is also a new student in the Battle Qi Enlightenment Class. He is late due to physical inconvenience. Please forgive him."

Hmm, that's not right. Weren't there 879 new students in the Battle Qi Enlightenment Class? They had all been examined and assigned to classes. How could there be one more? Besides, with the appearance of the fat man behind him, how could he have possibly passed the entrance exam?

Instructor Hughes took the enrollment certificate, glanced at it, and handed it to Lorist with a wry smile. Lorist took it and saw it was not an enrollment certificate at all, but a personal letter from Dean Levens, that old scoundrel. The letter was addressed to him and got straight to the point, explaining the situation with the fat man. The old man wrote that this fat man was named Dorset House, the sole heir of the Peterson family, one of the seven members of the highest governing body of the Forde Commercial Alliance, the Peterson Merchant Guild. He was eighteen years old. His father, the current president of the Peterson Merchant Guild, was also a graduate of Dawnlight Academy. The Peterson family had always been major sponsors of Dawnlight Academy, donating ten thousand Gold Fude annually.

Because President Peterson had his son late in life, he doted on him excessively. As a result, the child lived a life of pampered luxury, inadvertently growing into a giant ball of fat. Now that President Peterson saw his son had become a meatball, he realized the gravity of the situation. If this continued, what would happen to the Peterson family when he was old and gone? How could his son inherit the family business and manage the guild in his current state?

However, it was too late for President Peterson to regret it. He wanted his son to lose weight and instructed the butler to change his son's diet from five meals a day to three, eliminating afternoon tea and late-night snacks. The portions for the three meals were also halved, with seven or eight dishes per meal being sufficient. Before the day was over, his son threw a tantrum, crying and making a scene. The old matriarch and the two wives of the household all came out to collectively condemn President Peterson, and in the process, added another ten dishes to the child's meal.

Helpless, President Peterson tried another tactic. He hired a Great Swordsman at a high price, hoping to entrust him with his son's Battle Qi enlightenment. President Peterson believed that once his son awakened his Battle Qi, practicing it would naturally help him shed the excess fat. It was a good idea, but the Great Swordsman stayed for over a month and regretfully informed President Peterson that given his son's physical condition, awakening Battle Qi was impossible. To put it bluntly, what flowed in his son's veins wasn't blood, but fat. Finally, the Great Swordsman warned that if his son continued to gorge himself and remain obese, his life would be in danger within three years.

What could be done? President Peterson's hair turned white worrying about his beloved son. It was at this time that he heard of Lorist's reputation as a Gold-ranked Battle Qi instructor and learned that Lorist had become the chief instructor for the Battle Qi Enlightenment Class at Dawnlight Academy for the new semester. His eyes lit up; it was truly a case of "when you think there's no way out, a new path opens up." President Peterson rejoiced and hurried to Dawnlight Academy to find Dean Levens, thus obtaining this personal enrollment certificate.

Dean Levens first explained the situation of the fat man and then requested Lorist to help President Peterson resolve his worries. For the sake of the good relationship between the Peterson family and Dawnlight Academy, and for the annual sponsorship of ten thousand Gold Fude, President Peterson was willing to increase the academy's annual sponsorship by an additional five thousand gold coins due to his son's enrollment. Dean Levens instructed Lorist to face any difficulties head-on, even creating them if necessary, and to do his utmost to assist President Peterson. Finally, Dean Levens promised that if President Peterson's wish was granted, the academy would heavily reward the instructor team, with a bonus of no less than one thousand Gold Fude.

Damn it, that old scoundrel is just giving me trouble. I'm teaching a Battle Qi Enlightenment Class, not a weight-loss class. How can this fat man awaken his Battle Qi without first shedding his excess fat? However, he couldn't entirely blame the old scoundrel. He had no choice, after all. The Peterson family's substantial annual sponsorship wasn't given for free, and it was the academy's duty to help them when they had matters to attend to.

Lorist muttered as he put away the letter and said to the middle-aged man, "Have him come over and place his hand here. I'll examine his body."

The fat man shuffled over step by step. As Lorist instructed, he rolled up his sleeves and placed his arm on the leather pillow. Alas, this wasn't a hand; it was clearly a pig's trotters, white and plump, glistening with oil. Lorist sighed and extended three fingers, placing them on the fat man's pulse.

Huh? Where's the pulse? Lorist pressed lightly, felt nothing. He pressed harder, still nothing. Was it... too much fat? Lorist frowned, located it again, and pressed down heavily. This time, he finally felt a faint throb.

After a while, Lorist withdrew his hand, sighed, and shook his head. The middle-aged man beside him asked nervously, "Instructor, what's wrong with my young master?"

Lorist's face was grim. After a long period of thought, he asked the middle-aged man, "Are you the butler?"

"Ah, yes, I am the second butler of the Peterson family, specifically serving the young master," the middle-aged man replied, nodding.

"You can't make the decision on this matter. You'd better bring someone who can. Your young master's problem is that he needs to lose weight before he can awaken his Battle Qi. His current physical condition is already very poor. If he doesn't awaken his Battle Qi and continues to be so obese, he may only have a few more years to live." Lorist looked at the fat man, who seemed completely unfazed by his words, appearing indifferent, as if Lorist was just exaggerating to scare him.

The middle-aged man, however, was startled. Lorist was the second person to say this. The Great Swordsman was the first. But the Great Swordsman's words had been kept secret within the household and not spread. The fact that two people had said the same thing indicated the seriousness of the situation. "The family head is currently having tea with your esteemed dean. I will go and invite him over immediately. Please wait."

The middle-aged man sprinted out of the grand hall, the sound of carriage wheels fading into the distance.

Soon, President Peterson appeared before Lorist. His hawk-like eyes fixed intently on Lorist. "You are Norton Lorist, the renowned recipient of the dual Gold Badges from Dawnlight Academy, Instructor Locke?"

Lorist inhaled sharply. He hadn't expected the head of the Peterson family, one of the seven major merchant guilds of the Forde Commercial Alliance, President Peterson, to be a Gold-tier Battle Qi master. Although the old man before him was dressed simply and had a kind face, looking no different from the old men chatting and playing chess in the neighborhood, and wore no Battle Qi badges on his chest, Lorist could sense a faint, oppressive aura emanating from him, surrounding his body. Lorist had only felt this kind of aura once before, when he dueled with Instructor Krudd of the academy before heading to the Ruins Archipelago.

Lorist met his gaze evenly, his tone calm. "Good afternoon, President Peterson. I am Instructor Locke. I asked you to come here to discuss your son's enrollment. With your level of expertise, you are naturally aware of your son's physical condition. Whether for health reasons or for awakening his Battle Qi, your son must lose weight first, and it's urgent. Otherwise, his life will be in great danger. What I want to ask is, what are your thoughts on your son's weight loss? Should he lose weight at home before enrolling, or lose weight here at the academy and then awaken his Battle Qi?"

President Peterson was taken aback by Lorist's words and asked excitedly, "You have a way to help my son lose weight? And awaken his Battle Qi?"

"There is a way, but your son will suffer some hardship, and it will take a long time, at least half a year," Lorist nodded.

"Ah..." President Peterson thought, Is this kid trying to trick me? The last time I consulted Morrent's most famous alchemist, he said it would take at least three years of treatment for my son to lose weight. You're saying half a year and calling it a long time...

"What kind of suffering are you referring to? Is there any danger to his life?" President Peterson asked.

"Controlling his diet and mandatory physical training are commonplace for others, but for your son, it will be suffering. And to ensure your son can complete his daily training tasks, we may have to employ some impolite and frightening methods. Some bleeding and minor injuries are inevitable, but I can guarantee there will be no danger to his life," Lorist said.

"If President Peterson is willing to trust us, please sign a guarantee letter first, ensuring that your relatives will not interfere with your son's life and training during his time at our school. You may send people to observe, but you have no right to criticize or protest. If violated, you will bear all consequences. Our instructor team will not be responsible and will immediately send your son home." Lorist added a condition.

"This..." President Peterson hesitated. After all, he was his own son. He had been cherished since childhood, treated like a precious gem, and had never endured any hardship in his life. That's why he had grown so fat. He had a vague feeling that if he agreed to Lorist's request, his beloved son would suffer greatly.

"It seems President Peterson cherishes his son deeply. Perhaps you could take your son home first, and enroll him for Battle Qi enlightenment after he has successfully lost weight. It's not too late," Lorist said, relieved. This was the best option; it would save everyone trouble.

"No, I'll entrust him to you. I hope Instructor Locke doesn't disappoint me," President Peterson suddenly made his final decision.

"Uh, President, aren't you going to reconsider?" Lorist was disappointed.

"No need. Let's do it this way," President Peterson said decisively, waving his hand.

"Well, alright. President, please come this way to write and sign the guarantee letter. And while you're here, complete your son's enrollment procedures. Due to your son's special circumstances, there will be some additional fees to pay," Lorist said helplessly. He would have an extra troublemaker starting today.

"I will sign the guarantee letter. He will be responsible for the rest. If you need anything, just find him," President Peterson said, pointing to the middle-aged man standing by. He then beckoned him over. "Bill, starting today, you will stay here. Satisfy all their needs, and you can only watch the young master. You are not allowed to interact with the young master without Instructor Locke's permission. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master, I understand," the middle-aged man replied respectfully.

After signing the guarantee letter, President Peterson sighed. "Instructor Locke, my precious son has never left home since he was young and has never endured hardship. Now I entrust him to you. I hope that during training, you won't make him suffer too much. It's best if he can adapt slowly..."

Lorist was silent for a moment, then replied, "Sometimes, excessive indulgence from parents can actually harm their children..."

President Peterson…

After a long while, President Peterson finally spoke, "Since I promised to hand him over to you, I should trust you and shouldn't worry anymore. If Instructor Locke can truly help him lose weight and awaken Battle Qi in six months, I will give you a reward of one thousand Gold Fude."

"Ah…" The instructors beside him exclaimed in surprise.

Lorist shook his head, "I can't guarantee anything. For now, let's focus on helping the young master lose weight and then we'll see."

"Two thousand!"

Lorist could feel the breathing of the instructors around him becoming heavy and rough…

"President Peterson, please believe in our professional ethics. Since we've taken your son, we will definitely teach him well and help him lose weight and train…"

"As long as my son can awaken Battle Qi, I'll reward you with three thousand Gold Fude!" President Peterson interrupted Lorist, determined to achieve his goal.

Lorist felt all the instructors and assistants beside and behind him trembling, even Instructor Hughes and Instructor Anfia. Instructor Marlin, however, remained much calmer.

"Alright, I'll do my best. Please rest assured, President." Lorist lowered his head.

Lorist convened a meeting with all the instructors and assistants.

"Class One has a total of three hundred and fifty-two new trainees. These trainees have no physical problems; they are very healthy with abundant Blood Essence. With normal teaching methods supplemented by one month of physical training, they should be able to awaken Battle Qi. Instructor Marlin, you have experience training new recruits in the City Guard. Large-scale training methods like this should be familiar to you. Therefore, Class One will be your responsibility. You will also select four instructors and four assistants to help you. Is that alright?"

"No problem, Head Instructor Locke," Instructor Marlin replied with a smile.

"Class Two has one hundred and seventy-five new trainees. They have no physical problems, but they are still in their developmental stage and their Blood Essence is not yet abundant. This class will require a period of observation. During this time, we need to strengthen their nutritional intake and use physical training to promote nutrient absorption and enhance their physique. Therefore, I need an instructor with patience to be in charge of this class. It is estimated that they will be ready for Battle Qi enlightenment in three to four months. Who among you do you think is suitable to lead this class?" Lorist asked.

Soon, a Silver instructor named Soheim was nominated by everyone. He would lead two instructors and two assistants to manage the teaching and training for Class Two.

Lorist looked at the list in his hand, "Class Three has two hundred and thirty-six civilian trainees. Their problem is malnutrition. Instructor Yuri, you have experience with this from last time and know what to do. This class will be your responsibility."

Yuri nodded. He would also select two instructors and two assistants to lead Class Three.

"Class Four has one hundred and sixteen noble trainees. Apart from five who have lingering physical issues from injuries sustained in their youth, the rest have suffered physical depletion due to engaging in sexual activity too early and without restraint, severely damaging their Vital Energy. They require a long period of physical recuperation and restorative physical training. Instructor Hughes will be in charge of this class, and Instructor Anfia will assist, is that okay?" Lorist looked at the two instructors, and both Instructor Hughes and Instructor Anfia nodded.

"Instructor Anfia, the collaboration with the potion laboratory will be your responsibility. The nutritional potions that supplement Vital Energy must be taken by the trainees daily, no matter how bad they taste. No one should be missed," Lorist instructed.

"I understand, Head Instructor Locke. I will ensure the trainees drink them in front of me every day and will not allow them to be lazy or try to avoid taking the medicine," Instructor Anfia guaranteed.

"The last class has one student. Their current physical condition is obesity due to excessive nutrition. They must lose two-thirds of their weight before they can undergo Battle Qi enlightenment like normal trainees. This student will be handled by myself, along with the remaining instructors and assistants. Alright, everyone will be busy starting tomorrow. This meeting concludes here. The instructors assigned to each class can now discuss and coordinate amongst yourselves."

Lorist beckoned to the middle-aged man beside him, "Butler Bill, could you come here for a moment? I have a small matter to trouble you with…"