After spending a quarter of an hour in the dormitory organizing his martial arts training plans for his time at the academy, Lin Chen changed into the training uniform of Still Water Martial Arts Academy and headed to the Martial Arts Pavilion.
The Martial Arts Pavilion was exceptionally lively today.
Female disciples streamed in and out of the entrance, but unsurprisingly, Lin Chen remained the biggest eye-catcher.
"I can proudly say this: I'm the most handsome guy in all of Still Water Martial Arts Academy!"
Lin Chen now understood those scenes from novels where beautiful women attracted the eyes of every male around them wherever they went. The beauties would feel annoyed, yet because the male lead did not look at them, they would instead grow curious about him.
He had now experienced the treatment given to the beauties in novels himself.
He remained perfectly calm about it all. He was like Tang Sanzang walking through the Land of Women, the focus of attention wherever he went.
He would be staying at Still Water Martial Arts Academy for quite some time, so he had to get used to this treatment reserved for the heroines of urban novels.
After entering the Martial Arts Pavilion, Lin Chen saw two senior sisters standing before the counter. He approached and asked, "Excuse me, Senior Sisters, does the Martial Arts Pavilion have any miscellaneous books related to martial arts?"
The two female disciples were not particularly surprised to see a male disciple in the Martial Arts Pavilion. They had already learned about it a quarter of an hour ago.
When it came to how quickly news traveled among the students, no martial arts academy could compare with Still Water Martial Arts Academy.
He really was not bad-looking, just a little dark. No wonder those little hussies had been chattering about him nonstop.
"Miscellaneous books?"
The female senior sister on the left, her hair coiled up, pondered for a moment. "What kind of miscellaneous books does Junior Brother mean?"
"Introductions to wild game that can replenish qi and blood, martial arts pills... Anything along those lines."
Lin Chen understood his weaknesses very clearly. His greatest weakness was that he was poor, and second was that he had no comprehensive understanding of martial arts.
The booklet Instructor Yu had left behind contained mostly insights on martial arts training. It had little information about ways to accelerate the growth of qi and blood.
Lin Chen guessed that Instructor Yu felt that, given his circumstances, instead of putting his mind on expensive game meat and pills, it would be better for him to focus wholeheartedly on his cultivation method.
"I understand what Junior Brother means. On the second floor, in the Library Pavilion, the row of bookshelves on the left contains books related to martial arts. There are also some insights left behind by senior sisters from previous generations of the academy. Junior Brother may read them at your leisure, but you may not take them away."
After thanking her, Lin Chen went straight to the second floor. Following the senior sister's directions, he soon found the books he wanted to read.
"Aperture Opening Realm Insights on Consuming Game Meat"
"The Optimal Cultivation Method: Three Years of Organ Tempering After Two Years of Aperture Opening"
Seeing this book, Lin Chen picked it up curiously and glanced through it. It was not very long.
But after scanning only a few lines, he silently put it back down.
Within those few short pages, he could see between the lines that the entire book was filled with three words: "Money is no object."
The very first sentence discussed how to quickly open the third aperture after opening the second.
This was a book written by a rich person, for rich students to read. He was only at one aperture. He was not worthy.
"The Complete Guide to Pills Needed in the Aperture Opening Realm—A Must-Read for Pill Poppers"
Lin Chen picked up this book. Though he had already prepared himself mentally, when he saw the several martial arts pills and their prices, the corner of his mouth twitched. This was another book written by a wealthy senior sister.
The book mentioned six kinds of pills.
All of them were suitable for martial artists in the Aperture Opening Realm. The senior sister had even classified them according to how many apertures one had opened and which pills were suitable at each stage.
This path was equally unsuitable for him, but Lin Chen memorized the names of those pills.
After reading several cultivation insights left behind by these wealthy senior sisters, Lin Chen finally discovered, in a corner, a book with a title in a completely different style.
"The Path Ahead for Ordinary Students at the Martial Arts Academy"
Seeing the title, Lin Chen became interested. He picked it up and opened it. The contents on the first page immediately confirmed that he had found the right book.
This book is intended only for junior sisters from ordinary families. If your family is wealthy and you had already opened an aperture before entering the academy, please put this book down and pick up the "Pill-Popping Essentials" written by the Senior Sister Disciple on the left to read.
Second page:
If you have turned to this page, it means your family is ordinary, and you may not even have opened an aperture yet. In that case, Senior Sister will give you some advice: you must open an aperture within three months of entering the academy. If you cannot open one within three months, the academy will place you on the list of Grade-B students. After that, when purchasing resources from the academy, you will no longer enjoy discounts. Do not underestimate those discounts. Little savings add up, and over three years, you can save at least a hundred taels of silver.
At this point, Junior Sister, you probably are not flipping through this book at random. You must be eager to open an aperture within three months. In that case, Senior Sister will teach you a real trick. Next door to our academy is Iron Blood Martial Arts Academy. The male students there all come from wealthy families. Walk around in front of Iron Blood Martial Arts Academy whenever you have nothing to do. Sooner or later, you will encounter a softhearted male student. Seize the opportunity, and get as many free meals out of him as you can...
Lin Chen's expression became complicated as he read this page...
How should he put it? The content was rather miscellaneous and reminded him of the green tea girls from his previous life.
Being willing to shed one's dignity was indeed an effective method.
Unfortunately, he was a man!
After reading the entire book, all he found was the Way of the Green Tea Girl.
He mourned the senior brothers of Iron Blood Martial Arts Academy in silence!
The book's pages had already turned yellow from being handled so often, which showed that the senior sisters of Still Water Martial Arts Academy from previous generations had read it quite a lot.
Afterward, Lin Chen read several more books left behind by the senior sisters of Still Water Martial Arts Academy and absorbed quite a bit of useful information.
One of the senior sisters had also mentioned taking on part-time work. After opening three apertures, one could find some jobs in the county town.
Protecting caravans, capturing wanted criminals...
The former consumed time, while the latter carried risks.
Half an hour later, Lin Chen went downstairs, registered his identity, and spent thirty taels on a bottle of Nourishing Aperture Pills.
After leaving the Martial Arts Pavilion, Lin Chen went to the academy cafeteria.
He was entitled to free meals at the cafeteria. The academy's food was varied. Compared to the cafeteria, which had only beef as its one meat dish, the academy cafeteria alone offered more than a dozen kinds of game meat. Lin Chen recognized the Black Muntjac Meat he had eaten before.
At eight hundred copper coins per catty, it was not even the most expensive kind.
Unfortunately, none of this game meat was free. He had to pay for it himself.
The free-meal benefits entitled him to two catties of beef at every meal, with unlimited vegetables and rice.
Five bowls of rice and two catties of beef.
Lin Chen found a seat in the corner and ate by himself.
"The junior sisters of this year are truly incredible. Senior Sister Sun, have you heard?"
"I have. Apparently, one of the junior sisters has already opened four apertures."
"What's four apertures? I just got the latest news. A new junior sister in this year's class has opened five apertures."
"Really?"
"The source is absolutely reliable. Apparently, there are already three who have opened four apertures..."
Lin Chen's right hand paused while holding his chopsticks, but after a moment, he continued picking up food.
There were differences even among students of the same year. He had already learned that from Lu Yongfeng and the others, so he had mentally prepared himself in advance.
But after hearing the conversation between the two senior sisters beside him, he still could not help cursing inwardly: Damn this wealth gap.
Dormitory.
After leaving the cafeteria, Lin Chen returned to his dormitory.
He poured a Nourishing Aperture Pill out of the medicine bottle. Its color was dull, and it smelled faintly fishy.
Normally, one Nourishing Aperture Pill was taken every three days, though one could also be taken daily. Any more than that would be ineffective.
Once the pill entered his stomach, a scorching sensation arose in his abdomen.
Very quickly, the Essence Energy within his body became active once more, continuously surging into the aperture at his left shoulder.
This was the first aperture he had opened!
His left shoulder and right arm!
His second aperture was located in his right arm.
Lin Chen could feel a faint itch coming from his right elbow. It was caused by the Essence Energy being obstructed as it flowed there.
The Qi Refining stage was about allowing qi and blood to flow smoothly through the entire body.
Once qi and blood circulated smoothly throughout the body, Essence Energy would condense. The Aperture Opening Realm, meanwhile, was about allowing Essence Energy to flow smoothly through the entire body.
Once the essence blood broke through the aperture, this tingling itch would disappear.
During the month he had cultivated at home, his right arm had also experienced this tingling sensation, but it had never been as intense as it was now. This was the effect of the Nourishing Aperture Pill.
A pill costing three taels really was worth every penny.
Calming his mind and regulating his breathing, Lin Chen no longer delayed and began cultivating Clear Wind Palm.
Clear Wind Palm had its own method of circulating qi. During cultivation, the Essence Energy in one's body would also autonomously strike at the apertures. That was why the academy only taught them martial arts techniques.
Palm after palm, the shadows of his hands whipped through the small dormitory courtyard like wind.
Night fell, but Lin Chen still did not stop.
The Black to the End title began to take effect.
His Clear Wind Palm had already reached the proficient level, and he could unleash each palm at will. Yet this time, he discovered some shortcomings in his past practice.
The movements and angles of Clear Wind Palm could still be adjusted further.
This move was not necessarily better the faster it was.
Lin Chen sank into a state of sudden enlightenment. All his essence, energy, and spirit focused on the palm technique as he practiced it again and again, adjusting the angle and force of each strike.
Technique: Clear Wind Palm (Proficient: 2/100) Technique: Clear Wind Palm (Proficient: 3/100)
Lin Chen no longer paid attention to the System Panel. At this moment, his mind was free of distractions.
His eyes held only Clear Wind Palm.
Bang!
No one knew how much time had passed when a sudden sound came from Lin Chen's right arm.
Like a firecracker exploding!
Even so, Lin Chen did not stop. In the next instant, his eyes flew open, and he struck the camphor tree in the courtyard with one palm.
Smack!
The camphor tree's bark fell away, and a palm print sank directly into the smooth wood. One breath later, countless camphor leaves came rustling down.
Lin Chen withdrew his palm and stood in the courtyard, looking at the leaves covering the ground. Satisfaction filled his eyes.
Relying on his insight into Clear Wind Palm this time, together with the Nourishing Aperture Pill, he had actually broken through to the Second Aperture Realm.
Clear Wind Palm was not an overbearing palm technique, so it had not snapped the waist-thick camphor tree in half. But judging from how deeply the palm print had sunk into the wood, if that palm landed on a person, it would be enough to shatter an ordinary person's bones.
After his excitement faded, Lin Chen analyzed the situation.
His opening of the second aperture today was absolutely not solely due to one Nourishing Aperture Pill. More importantly, it was the result of nearly a month of accumulated effort. He had already been close to touching the bottleneck of the second aperture. The pill had merely saved him the final burst of effort.
It was the result of thick accumulation followed by sudden release. The Nourishing Aperture Pill had only provided the final chance to charge through.
The breakthrough in his realm delighted Lin Chen, but what excited him even more was that he had gained a more comprehensive understanding of his improved comprehension.
He had originally thought that improved comprehension merely meant gaining a deeper understanding of the true essence of martial arts techniques. But now, it seemed that was not all. Improved comprehension also came with a certain state.
A state of absolute concentration, in which he forgot both himself and the outside world!
After glancing at the stars, Lin Chen did not continue cultivating. Sufficient sleep was also essential for a martial artist.
That night, he fell asleep in delight.
Before you continue