Excellent Talent, Raw Jade, Abandoned Child Crisis

[Name: Su Mu (14 years old)]
[Lifespan: 62 years]
[Skills: Five Animal Frolics (Mastered 93%), Blacksmithing (Mastered 75%), Tiger Subduing Fist (Mastered 42%), Rock Shattering Fist (Minor Success 1%), Startled Sparrow Steps (Minor Success 1%), Alchemy (Beginner 87%)]
[Comprehension: 10 (Excellent Talent, Raw Jade)]

Su Mu opened his current status panel and indeed, the Comprehension section had changed.

After Startled Sparrow Steps and Rock Shattering Fist both reached Minor Success this time, Su Mu's Comprehension broke through the 10-point mark. His lifespan increased by a full ten years, and his Comprehension transformed from Modest Potential to Excellent Talent, Raw Jade!

The previous Modest Potential could be called a genius among ordinary people; with diligent practice, one could achieve some success.

Excellent Talent, Raw Jade, however, already surpassed the scope of ordinary people. It could be called innate genius, like a piece of jade. Even without carving, it was different from ordinary stones, and with a little carving, it would be difficult for others to catch up. Raw jade could become a valuable artifact.

Su Mu tried to perform Startled Sparrow Steps again and immediately felt the difference.

Previously, Su Mu needed to concentrate fully when performing Startled Sparrow Steps. Light footwork, whether practicing or executing, was more difficult than ordinary fist techniques. Furthermore, Startled Sparrow Steps focused on instantaneous bursts, requiring the coordination of the muscles in his feet, qi and blood, force, and breathing.

Now, Su Mu seemed to have suddenly awakened. When he performed Startled Sparrow Steps again, although it hadn't reached the point of being effortless, it was much easier and more comfortable.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Even in the dense forest, Su Mu moved with agility and freedom. After performing three consecutive leaps, Su Mu felt he still had energy left, so he leaped again like a mountain sparrow.

Whoosh!

Su Mu's body flickered, leaving behind an afterimage. When he landed, he had actually leaped another four to five zhang.

"Is this the gap between a genius and an ordinary person?"

Su Mu looked back in shock. Previously, he could only leap a little over three zhang in one step, but now he had reached four to five zhang. Moreover, he had broken through the limit of three consecutive leaps, reaching the realm where he could perform four consecutive leaps.

"Those with Excellent Talent, Raw Jade only need to put in a little effort, and ordinary people will have to work twice as hard to catch up. If they strive for excellence, they will be left in the dust!"

After his Comprehension broke through again, step by step from unremarkable, to average, to Modest Potential, and finally to Excellent Talent, Raw Jade, Su Mu gained a deeper understanding of Comprehension.

Effort was indispensable, but if one lacked talent and Comprehension, no matter how hard they tried, they might not even reach the lower limit of others. What ultimately determined a martial artist's final height and ceiling...

Was only talent and Comprehension!

Afterward, Su Mu continued to cultivate Five Animal Frolics and Tiger Subduing Fist in the back mountains. Soon, he discovered that these two martial arts had also undergone new changes.

"Perhaps it won't be long before Five Animal Frolics and Tiger Subduing Fist break through to the next realm!"

After inspecting them, Su Mu was satisfied. At this moment, his stomach rumbled loudly. Su Mu smiled and turned back to the village.

The sky had not yet brightened. The sunlight filtering through the fish-belly white sky was still dim. As Su Mu returned to the village, he encountered some villagers from Dongbian Village.

"Little Mu, are you just coming back from the mountain?"

"Yes, I thought about going to the mountain to pick some wild vegetables since it rained last night, but my luck wasn't great."

Su Mu replied with a smile, greeted them, and walked past.

Just then, a ray of early morning sun fell on Su Mu. The villagers' eyes suddenly widened considerably. Su Mu, who was clearly wearing only coarse linen clothes, now seemed to be clad in a layer of colorful, flowing brocade.

The villagers rubbed their eyes in disbelief. When they looked again, they found that Su Mu was still Su Mu, and there was no colorful brocade on him.

"Was that an illusion just now... Did I see it wrong?"

"It must be that my wife was too restless last night. I need to rest well these past few days. I'm even having hallucinations."

The villager withdrew his gaze, muttered to himself, and carried his hoe towards the fields.

Martial artists had vigorous qi and blood, and force, requiring more nutritional supplements. Returning home, Su Mu cut three jin of meat with both fat and lean parts, stir-fried it with lard to make a sauce, and then cooked a pot of noodles for his breakfast.

After breakfast, Su Mu went out wearing a bamboo hat and a straw cape.

At shop number thirteen on Scholar Street, Su Mu saw Shopkeeper Li standing at the entrance. "Shopkeeper Li."

Su Mu greeted him and entered the blacksmith shop. He saw Li Xiaohu carrying a three-tiered bamboo steamer from the kitchen. Su Mu immediately put down his bamboo hat and straw cape and went forward to help.

At this moment, Su Mu reached out to support the steamer. Li Xiaohu felt as if the steamer in his hands was weightless and was surprised. However, he didn't think much of it at the time. Li Xiaohu placed the steamer on the stone table in the small courtyard and invited Su Mu to eat steamed buns.

The shop prepared breakfast for the blacksmiths every day. Although Su Mu had already eaten, he picked up his two large steamed buns to avoid attracting attention.

At this moment, Li Xiaohu leaned in mysteriously. "Su Mu, have you noticed that my dad has been often hanging around the entrance lately?"

In fact, Su Mu had also noticed this long ago.

"Let me tell you, my dad seems to have entrusted someone to deliver something to the county town a while ago. He should be waiting for news from the county town these days, right?"

So that's how it is. Su Mu wasn't particularly curious about this, but soon, as Su Mu was chewing on a steamed bun, his whole body trembled.

Waiting for news?

Wait, he suddenly remembered something.

In the midsummer heat, Su Mu suddenly felt a chill run through his body.

The person in charge of the Gray Wolf Mask had said before leaving that he would be away for a while. Before leaving, he had secretly warned Su Mu and left two bottles containing six antidotes.

Now, it had been more than seven months since that person left Qingshui Town, and there had been no news. Su Mu had initially thought it was due to long travel delays, which was normal in this era.

Later, Su Mu had temporarily forgotten about it due to the Black Market incident and his immersion in cultivation this month.

Now, after Li Xiaohu's words, he was suddenly jolted awake.

It had been a full month past the agreed-upon time. Normally, an antidote was dispensed monthly. If Su Mu had taken his medicine as scheduled from the beginning, he would be close to dying from the poison now.

"The brat's awake... If he doesn't get the antidote within three months, this itch will intensify and turn into a heart-piercing pain. Soon, you'll wish for death as you dissolve into a pool of pus."

The words of the person who had brought him to this area in the carriage suddenly echoed in Su Mu's ears.

Three months was the final deadline before death!

Su Mu had taken an antidote ten days ago. Now, he only had one last antidote left in his hand. This was a contingency he had saved to break free from his restraints.

Over the past six months of constant experimentation, Su Mu had managed to extend the monthly interval between doses to about fifty days. This was the limit he could currently endure.

In the days leading up to the fifty-day limit, Su Mu would experience pain akin to being gnawed by countless insects within his body. His heart, especially below his chest, felt as if it were being torn apart. On damp, rainy days, it was worse than death.

That inhumane pain made Su Mu realize the poison in his body could truly kill him. The words of the man in the carriage were no idle threat.

"Did they get delayed on the road..."

"Or have I become an abandoned child?"

A chill ran down Su Mu's spine. He naturally didn't want to be the latter, but Su Mu had a habit: when thinking about things, he always prepared for the worst.

"If it truly is the latter..."

Including the antidote he still held, which he hadn't taken yet, Su Mu didn't have much time left – less than five months.