A Small Cheat Doesn't Count as Cheating

In the rear courtyard, at Instructor Yu's residence.

After Lin Chen entered, he found Instructor Yu staring at him so intensely that it made his skin crawl.

Did I have flowers on my face?

After a long while, Yu Yongnian finally spoke. "Have you privately taken any medicines that replenish Qi and blood?"

"This disciple has never taken any." Lin Chen answered immediately.

Before going up to lift the four-hundred-pound Stone Weight, he had considered whether displaying four hundred pounds of strength would make others suspicious.

After all, even Lu Yongfeng and the others had not managed to increase their strength to four hundred pounds in such a short time.

The best explanation would have been to say that he had swallowed some precious medicine.

But that thought had existed in his mind for only an instant before he dismissed it.

Rapidly increasing his strength to four hundred pounds might shock people, but no matter how one put it, it was still only four hundred pounds. In the Martial Hall, that only ranked him tenth. Not to mention that Lu Yongfeng and the others had long since surpassed five hundred pounds and were charging toward six hundred pounds, seeking to cultivate Essence Energy.

He could not even compare to Lu Yongfeng and the others, much less the children of powerful families in the county city.

It was like a child who had never attended kindergarten suddenly placing near the top in a first-grade exam. It might surprise people a little, but the upper-grade students would not spare it a second glance.

A small cheat didn't count as cheating. The tiny advantage he had was not worth a fart!

Rather than hiding his abilities, he should display his talent.

From the notice issued by the Martial Arts Administration, he could see that the authorities placed great importance on cultivating young martial artists. The higher one's talent, the more resources one could obtain.

If he wanted to go farther on the martial path, the help of the When the Water Flows, the Channel is Formed destiny was not enough. He also needed martial resources.

It was impossible that later on, he could still make meteoric progress by relying on a few pounds of beef every day.

That was unrealistic!

Yu Yongnian watched Lin Chen for a moment before withdrawing his gaze. He believed Lin Chen was not lying, and medicines capable of rapidly nourishing Qi and blood were not so easily acquired.

Lin Chen's family circumstances gave him neither the connections nor the Silver Coins for such things.

"Instructor Yu, is it possible that this disciple is a martial arts genius?"

Seeing the instructor remain silent, Lin Chen awkwardly praised himself a little.

"A martial arts genius?" Yu Yongnian said irritably. "You certainly dare to dream. Where would there be so many martial arts geniuses? So-called martial arts geniuses are all cultivated at an enormous cost."

Those martial arts geniuses had their entire bodies soaked in medicinal baths from childhood. What they ate was poultry rich in Qi and blood nourishment. Even among the powerful families of Poyang County, few could afford such expenses.

"But isn't that Scholar Jiang from our village a martial arts genius?"

Lin Chen thought of Scholar Jiang's deeds from the original owner's memories. When he had first heard of them, he had even wondered whether that man was also a transmigrator, holding the protagonist's genius template.

He had cultivated Essence Energy after entering the Martial Hall for three months. Later, he entered a martial academy. The villagers knew little about what happened there, but a year later, he directly took first place in the county city competition, then first place in the Prefecture Exam. Finally, he placed fourth in the Jiangnan Province martial examination and earned the rank of Scholar.

"Before Lord Jiang began martial training, he encountered a great fortuitous opportunity. He cannot be judged by ordinary standards."

As for Lord Jiang, all of Poyang County had heard only of his legendary martial achievements. Yet because of his wife, Yu Yongnian knew some of the inside details.

"Even if a small number of students absorb Qi and blood slightly better than others, the difference is limited. With more Silver Coins, it can be caught up to. There will not be a cliff-like gap. Under such circumstances, financial strength naturally matters more."

Lin Chen's expression darkened. "Instructor, does that mean people from ordinary families can scarcely distinguish themselves in martial training?"

"Yes."

That single "yes" from Yu Yongnian made Lin Chen's expression turn incomparably ugly.

Seeing Lin Chen's grim look, Yu Yongnian said solemnly, "For students from average families, if they wish to travel far on the martial path, they must seize every opportunity. The announcement issued by the Martial Arts Department is an opportunity for you."

"The Founding Emperor placed immense importance on martial arts. At the founding of the nation, he established the policy of strengthening the nation through martial arts. He specifically created the Martial Affairs Council, then set up the Martial Arts Office, Martial Arts Department, and Martial Arts Administration beneath it, solely to oversee the cultivation of martial students across the land."

"The Qi Nourishing Soup in the Martial Hall costs one hundred copper coins per dose. It seems expensive, but soup medicine with the same effect would cost two hundred coins outside. The grain you bring is unhusked rice. After husking and removing the bran, the loss reaches thirty percent, yet the Martial Hall exchanges it for rice according to the original weight of the unhusked grain."

"These are benefits granted by the Martial Affairs Council only to students like you. Once you leave the Martial Hall, you will never enjoy them again."

Hearing this, Lin Chen's pupils contracted. He knew about the grain exchange rate, but he had not expected Qi Nourishing Soup to cost even more outside.

"Many students fail to cultivate Essence Energy in the Martial Hall, and afterward, it becomes difficult for them to cultivate it at all. Even if they do cultivate Essence Energy, it is hard for them to enter the next realm. The reason is that once they leave the Martial Hall, the cost of martial training becomes even more unbearable."

Lin Chen understood what his instructor meant.

The Martial Hall already offered the lowest expenses for martial training. If a family's wealth could not sustain it even under those conditions, it would only become harder after leaving.

"Do you know why Lu Yongfeng and the others strive desperately to cultivate Essence Energy within one year?"

Yu Yongnian abruptly changed the subject. Lin Chen asked curiously, "Instructor, is there some other hidden reason? It isn't merely because they can have their tuition waived, is it?"

"It is quite good that you guessed that." Yu Yongnian nodded. "Those who cultivate Essence Energy within one year have a chance to obtain an Aperture Opening Pill upon joining a martial academy."

Seeing Lin Chen's puzzled expression, Yu Yongnian knew that this student of his knew very little about martial matters.

"In the early Body Tempering stage of martial arts, there are two and a half realms: Qi Refining, Aperture Opening, and Organ Tempering. Qi Refining counts as half a realm. It is classified this way because after cultivating Essence Energy, one may take an Aperture Opening Pill to directly open one's acupoints and enter the Aperture Opening Realm."

"The Aperture Opening Pill is a pill exclusive to the Martial Arts Department, and it is exceedingly precious. Normally, after cultivating Essence Energy, it would take you at least half a year to open your acupoints. Leaving aside the Silver Coins saved, half a year alone is immensely precious."

Yu Yongnian's final words carried deep meaning. Over a martial career spanning decades, half a year was nothing. But in a martial academy, an extra half year often determined just how far one could go on the martial path!

Lin Chen's eyes lit up. He had thought it strange that Lu Yongfeng and the others would spend so much money merely to waive martial academy tuition and for the vanity of cultivating Essence Energy ahead of others.

Now that he had heard Instructor Yu's words, it all made sense. Those people were all aiming for the Aperture Opening Pill.

"Instructor, you said there is a chance to obtain an Aperture Opening Pill. Is that chance high?"

"Every year, the Martial Arts Department gives each of the eight major martial academies ten slots for students to receive Aperture Opening Pills, rewarding students who cultivate Essence Energy within one year. In previous years, around seventy students in all of Poyang County cultivated Essence Energy within one year. As long as one does not insist on joining a martial academy whose slots are already full, one can obtain an Aperture Opening Pill."

"But there are exceptions, when the number of students exceeds eighty. Such cases occur only once every seven or eight years."

Lin Chen understood. In all likelihood, cultivating Essence Energy within one year would earn him an Aperture Opening Pill. Only in the unlikely event that the number exceeded eighty would a few unlucky people lose their chance.

"For you, there is no need to think about the Aperture Opening Pill right now. Instead, seize this opportunity. Use the rewards from the Martial Arts Administration to accelerate the growth of your strength. Even if you cannot cultivate Essence Energy within one year, you can still seek other rewards at a martial academy afterward. Martial academies offer far more student rewards than Martial Halls."

Seeing Lin Chen deep in thought, Yu Yongnian feared that he might aim too high. The Aperture Opening Pill was not something Lin Chen should be considering.

"This disciple understands. The most urgent matter is to secure the reward."

Lin Chen nodded heavily. He understood his instructor's meaning: he should keep his feet on the ground and first set his sights on the reward from the Martial Arts Administration.

He was confident he could obtain the three-tael Silver Coin reward for increasing his strength by fifty pounds in one month.

Previously, he had still hesitated over whether to challenge the one-hundred-pound mark.

After all, he could save some money and let it flow in a thin, steady stream. But now that he knew the benefits of cultivating Essence Energy within one year, he had made up his mind. He had to obtain the reward for increasing his strength by one hundred pounds in a month.

With the When the Water Flows, the Channel is Formed destiny, it was not as though he had no chance of cultivating Essence Energy within a year.

"If you want to sprint for the reward issued by the Martial Arts Administration, resign from your work at the dining hall later," Yu Yongnian suddenly said.

Lin Chen fell silent for only an instant before nodding slightly. "This disciple will go to Steward Zhang and resign from the job later."

"Do you understand why I want you to resign from the dining hall job?"

"This disciple understands. This disciple will be taking Qi Nourishing Soup from now on. If I still work at the dining hall and enjoy its free meals, I fear the other students will gossip."

The moment his instructor told him to resign, he had understood.

Buying Qi Nourishing Soup while working in the dining hall was no different from driving a luxury carriage while collecting relief funds. It would easily breed resentment.

Lin Chen wanted to buy Qi Nourishing Soup to challenge the one-hundred-pound increase. Yu Yongnian, however, believed Lin Chen wanted to challenge the fifty-pound increase and would surely need Qi Nourishing Soup, making it unsuitable for him to continue working at the dining hall.

"Go."

"This disciple takes his leave."

Watching Lin Chen turn and leave with confidence on his face, Yu Yongnian recalled how, three months ago, the youth had carefully asked him for an opportunity in the Work-Study Program.

A warrior's strength made a man mighty!

"When the great roc rises with the wind in a single day, it soars ninety thousand li straight into the heavens. Let me see just how far you can go by borrowing this eastern wind."