Morning light pierced the thin mist and spilled into the courtyard of the Abandoned Workshop.
Lin Fan was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of faded hemp shorts, as he practiced punches against a waist-high wooden post. His punches weren't fast, but each one was as steady as a rock. His fists thudded against the hard wood, and a large dent had already formed in its surface.
[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1] [Iron Body Skill Proficiency +1]
Status Panel notifications alternated across the screen.
Sweat trickled down the boy's lean, well-defined back, glinting in the morning light. His breathing followed a particular rhythm: he punched as he inhaled and drew his fist back as he exhaled. With each breath, vital energy slowly circulated through his body.
This was a technique recorded in Grandpa Li's book, Detailed Explanation of Basic Breathing Technique. Combined with the Iron Body Skill's training method, it could maximize the effects of a medicinal bath.
Last night's medicinal bath had worked remarkably well.
Lin Fan could clearly feel that his skin had grown tougher and his muscle fibers denser. Before, a punch against the wooden post would leave the back of his hand swollen and red. Now, even the pain had dulled considerably.
"At this rate, I should break through to Mastery Level in Iron Body Skill today."
He glanced at the Status Panel:
[Iron Body Skill (Proficient 472/500)]
Twenty-eight points to go.
The Academy's official test was three days away.
Time was short.
Lin Fan didn't stop. He continued punching, adjusting his angle so he no longer struck only the front of the post. Instead, he circled around it and punched from different directions, practicing mobile attacks like those used in actual combat.
[Basic Footwork Proficiency +1] [Combat Experience +0.1]
"Sure enough, combining movements can trigger growth in several proficiencies at once."
An idea struck Lin Fan. He began trying more complicated combinations: a forward dash into a straight punch, a side-step into a swing punch, a retreating step into a block... Each move was basic, but putting them together made him feel as if he were training in actual combat.
An hour later, the sun had fully risen.
Lin Fan stopped and gasped for breath. He was drenched, as if he had just been hauled out of the water, but his eyes shone brightly.
He checked the Status Panel:
[Basic Fist Technique (Mastery 612/1000)] [Basic Footwork (Proficient 398/500)] [Iron Body Skill (Proficient 488/500)] [Strength: 14.8] [Combat Experience: 3.2]
"Twelve points left on Iron Body Skill..." Lin Fan wiped away his sweat. "I'll keep practicing on the way to the docks."
He put on his clothes—the same coarse shirt, patched all over—strapped on his backpack with bricks stuffed inside, and wheeled out the black bicycle he had bought the night before.
The ride to the docks took half an hour.
He didn't want to waste that time.
***
The docks were as busy as ever that morning.
Over a dozen cargo ships were moored along the riverbank. Workers scurried between the ships and warehouses like ants, carrying all kinds of goods: sacks of grain, bundles of pelts, sealed medicinal herbs, and heavy metal ore.
When Lin Fan found the foreman, Old Ma was squatting at the warehouse entrance, smoking a pipe.
"Uncle Ma, got any work today?"
Old Ma looked up and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Yeah. Ship Three, on the north side. Unloading iron ore. Three hundred tons on the ship. Same rate as usual: thirty points per person when it's all unloaded. But..." He paused. "That ship's carrying Black Iron Ore. It's thirty percent heavier than regular iron ore. You sure you want the job?"
Black Iron Ore?
Lin Fan's eyes lit up.
Black Iron Ore was a low-grade spirit ore, exceptionally dense and commonly used to forge mundane weapons. Because it was so heavy, many workers avoided the job, and the pay was bumped up accordingly.
"I'll take it," Lin Fan said without hesitation.
"All right. Go find Steward Wang at Ship Three." Old Ma took another puff. "A word of warning: don't overdo it and wreck your body. Your little sister is counting on you."
"Thanks, Uncle Ma."
Lin Fan wheeled his bike toward Pier Three, weighing the matter in his mind.
Black Iron Ore was heavier than regular ore, so hauling it would take more strength. But that also meant better training for his strength. If he could make the most of this opportunity...
He reached Ship Three.
It was a medium-sized cargo ship, its deck piled high with black ore. Each piece was about the size of a watermelon, its metallic surface glinting in the sunlight. A dozen workers were busy in pairs, carrying the ore in specially made iron baskets.
"You're new here?" A middle-aged man with a goatee approached, ledger in hand. "Old Ma sent you, right? I'm Steward Wang. You know the rules? Two people to a basket. Carry it to the warehouse over there, then weigh and register it. Each basket's standard weight is two hundred kilograms. Pay's two points per basket."
Lin Fan eyed the iron baskets. Each was a meter long and wide, half a meter deep. Once filled with Black Iron Ore, it would weigh well over two hundred kilograms.
"Steward Wang, can I carry one by myself?" Lin Fan asked.
"By yourself?" Steward Wang blinked and looked him up and down. "Are you joking, kid? A basket of Black Iron Ore weighs at least two hundred and fifty kilograms. It's hard enough for two people to lift. You want to do it alone?"
"I want to try," Lin Fan said. "You can cut the pay in half. One point per basket is fine."
Steward Wang frowned. "It's not about the pay. I don't want you getting hurt. This kind of work can kill you. Last year, some hotheaded kid tried to prove himself, broke his back, and he's still lying in bed."
"I've trained in martial arts," Lin Fan said. "If I can't lift it, I'll stop."
Steward Wang stared at him for a few seconds, then waved him away. "Fine. If you're determined to get yourself killed, I can't stop you. But understand this: if you get hurt, it's your responsibility. The docks won't pay your medical bills."
"Understood."
Lin Fan went over to a stack of iron baskets and picked the sturdiest-looking one.
He didn't rush to load it with ore. First, he stretched, loosened his joints, and regulated his breathing. Then he took a deep breath and began putting Black Iron Ore into the basket.
One piece, two pieces, three...
He loaded them slowly, carefully gauging the weight of each piece and adjusting its position to keep the center of gravity as close to the middle as possible.
After ten pieces, the basket was full.
Lin Fan estimated the weight. Each piece of Black Iron Ore was about twenty-five kilograms, so ten pieces weighed two hundred and fifty. With the iron basket itself, the total came to nearly two hundred and seventy kilograms.
That was heavier than the maximum load he had tested before.
But... he wanted to try.
"System, assess the strain this load will place on my body," Lin Fan thought.
The Status Panel didn't answer directly, but a notification appeared:
[Extreme Training Mode recommended. In this mode, proficiency gain increases by 50%, but stamina consumption doubles, and there is a risk of injury.]
Extreme Training Mode?
A new feature?
Lin Fan didn't hesitate. "Activate."
[Extreme Training Mode activated. It will last until your stamina is depleted or you turn it off.]
He felt a faint warmth spread through his body, as if some kind of strength had been injected into his muscle fibers. At the same time, a subtle prickling pain surfaced—the signal that he was overexerting himself.
"Let's go."
Lin Fan bent over and gripped the handles on either side of the iron basket.
"Lift!"
He gave a low shout, driving the effort from his core as his legs pushed against the ground. His whole body's strength erupted in that instant.
The basket lifted off the ground!
It rose less than ten centimeters, but he had lifted it.
[Strength Proficiency +3] [Iron Body Skill Proficiency +2]
Notifications began pouring out of the Status Panel.
Lin Fan gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead. He could feel every muscle trembling and every bone bearing the crushing weight. At the same time, a warm current welled up from his dantian and flowed along his meridians into his limbs—the sign that Basic Breathing Technique had begun circulating on its own.
"Move!"
He took his first step.
His steps were heavy, each one leaving a deep footprint in the dirt.
The distance from the ship to the warehouse was about fifty meters. Usually, two people could carry a basket that far in around two minutes, with one break along the way.
But Lin Fan was alone.
He couldn't stop. If he did, he might never be able to lift it again.
He forced himself to keep a steady breathing rhythm: inhale for two steps, exhale for two. Vital energy circulated through his body, barely keeping his stamina from giving out.
Twenty meters.
Thirty meters.
Forty meters...
Sweat blurred his vision. The muscles in his arms hurt as if they were tearing, and his spine felt as if it were about to snap. Lin Fan was on the verge of giving out.
But just then, a new notification suddenly appeared on the Status Panel:
[Extreme state maintained for 10 seconds. "Potential Surge" triggered: temporary Strength +1 for 30 seconds.]
A new strength welled up from deep within his body. It was slight, but enough to carry him through the final ten meters.
Bang!
The iron basket slammed down onto the warehouse scale.
"Two hundred and seventy kilograms!" The old worker weighing it stared at the scale's beam in disbelief. "Kid, you carried that over here by yourself?"
Lin Fan didn't have the strength to answer. He could only gasp for breath.
[Strength Proficiency +5] [Iron Body Skill Proficiency +3] [Basic Footwork Proficiency +2] [Combat Experience +0.5] [Strength: 15.1 (temporary +1)]
A string of notifications flashed past.
His Strength had broken through fifteen!
And his Iron Body Skill Proficiency had risen to 491. Just nine more points, and it would reach Mastery Level.
"Potential Surge... a temporary Strength boost..." Lin Fan panted as he thought. "The system has a hidden mechanic like this? Looks like it only triggers when I'm truly at my limit."
It gave him a deeper understanding of the system.
"Kid, can you keep going?" Steward Wang came over, his expression complicated. "That strength of yours... you really don't seem like a sixteen-year-old."
"I'm fine." Lin Fan straightened up. His whole body ached, but his spirits were high. "Steward Wang, can I keep going?"
"You sure? That one basket was already pushing it."
"I just need a short rest," Lin Fan said. "I want to carry twenty baskets today."
"Twenty baskets?!" Steward Wang's eyes widened. "At one point a basket, that's only twenty points. Two people carrying them would earn forty. You'd be losing out."
"I'm not losing out." Lin Fan smiled.
He was losing money, but gaining strength.
With the Academy test looming, money could wait. Strength was what mattered.
"Fine, do what you want." Steward Wang stopped trying to dissuade him. "There's a bucket of water over there. Help yourself. Rest before you work again, and don't push yourself too hard."
"Thanks, Steward."
Lin Fan walked over to the bucket, scooped up a dipper of cool water, and drank it in one go. The refreshing water slid down his throat, easing the heat in his body a little.
He sat on a clean rock and began circulating Basic Breathing Technique to recover his stamina.
Ten minutes later, most of his strength had returned.
"Let's keep going."
Lin Fan stood and headed back to the ship.
The second basket, the third, the fourth...
Each basket weighed 270 kilograms, and every trip challenged his limits. By the fifth, Lin Fan had adapted to the load. His steps were steadier, and his breathing smoother.
He even started trying to weave fist techniques into his carrying: using the force of a Charge Punch when he began to move, and the shift of center of gravity from a Swing Punch when he turned.
[Skill combination detected. Combat Experience acquisition efficiency increased.]
The Status Panel gave him positive feedback.
That made Lin Fan even more certain he was on the right path.
Martial arts weren't a collection of isolated techniques. They involved the coordinated use of the whole body. Strength, speed, endurance, technique, reflexes... only when every element came together did they make true power.
By noon, Lin Fan had carried the tenth basket.
Nearly exhausted, he sat beneath the warehouse eaves and devoured the free lunch provided by the docks: two coarse-flour steamed buns and a bowl of vegetable soup.
"Brother Fan?"
A familiar voice called out.
Lin Fan looked up and saw Chen Dahu approaching with a sack of grain on his shoulder, his head slick with sweat.
"Dahu? You working here too?"
"Yeah. My family's short on money, so my dad told me to come earn some." Chen Dahu sat beside him and glanced at the five empty bowls in front of him. "Brother Fan, how much have you eaten?"
"I just finished my tenth basket. I'm hungry," Lin Fan said vaguely. "What are you carrying?"
"Grain. Each sack weighs eighty kilograms, and I get one point per trip." Chen Dahu sighed. "Can't compare to you. I saw you carrying Black Iron Ore all by yourself and nearly died of fright. That stuff must weigh over two hundred kilograms a basket, right?"
"Two hundred and seventy," Lin Fan said.
"My heavens..." Chen Dahu's mouth fell open. "Brother Fan, how strong are you now?"
"I haven't tested it. Maybe... three or four hundred kilograms?" Lin Fan wasn't sure either.
His Strength attribute was 15.1, but attribute points didn't translate directly into actual strength; he still had to account for his force-generation technique. Based on his earlier test on the Strength Testing Monument, one point of Strength roughly equaled thirty kilograms of punching force, though he could lift more than that.
"Three or four hundred kilograms..." Chen Dahu murmured. "That's the peak of a 1st Grade Martial Trainee, isn't it? Brother Fan, you've only been training for half a month!"
"I got lucky," Lin Fan said, offering no further explanation.
He planned to keep the system's existence a secret forever.
"What luck? This is talent!" Chen Dahu said excitedly. "Brother Fan, you'll definitely pass the test! When you get into the Academy, teach me a few moves!"
"Sure." Lin Fan nodded. "By the way, how's your footwork practice going?"
"Like you said, I practice for an hour every morning and evening." Chen Dahu scratched his head. "I think it's gotten a little better, but I'm still nowhere near as good as you. I tried it this morning. I ran ten meters in 2.5 seconds."
"Not bad. That's quite a bit faster than before." Lin Fan encouraged him. "Keep practicing. Try to get under 2.2 seconds before the test."
"Mm!"
After they finished eating, they rested for a while, then went back to work.
The afternoon sun beat down even harder.
The dock's ground had been baked scorching hot, and the air was thick with the mixed smells of sweat and cargo. Most of the workers were bare-chested, sweat running over their bronze skin and glistening in the sunlight.
Lin Fan continued his "limit training."
The eleventh basket, the twelfth... By the fifteenth, he felt his body reaching a new threshold.
The ache in his muscles had built to the point that every exertion felt like needles stabbing into him. Yet his mind was unusually clear. He could sense the state of every muscle and the rhythm of every breath.
[Iron Body Skill Proficiency +3] [Iron Body Skill Proficiency +3]
When the seventeenth basket of Black Iron Ore hit the scale, the Status Panel suddenly flashed a string of golden notifications:
[Iron Body Skill Proficiency reached 500/500] [Iron Body Skill broke through to "Mastery Level"] [Defense permanently +2] [Acquired skill trait "Iron Bones": Bone strength increased by 20%, resistance to impacts enhanced] [Iron Body Skill Proficiency cap increased to 5000 points]
Lin Fan felt a faint tremor ripple through his bones, as if countless tiny warm currents were flowing through his marrow. A moment later, a faint metallic sheen appeared on the surface of his skin. It vanished in an instant, but he could feel that his skin had grown tougher and his muscles denser.
"I broke through..."
He checked the Status Panel:
[Name: Lin Fan] [Age: 16] [Realm: 1st Grade Martial Disciple (First Stage)] [Strength: 15.3] [Defense: 10 (+2)] (Originally 8; +2 from Iron Body Skill reaching Mastery Level) [Speed: 9] [Mental Strength: 12] [Comprehension: 15] [Bone Structure: 18] [Vital Energy: 150/150] (Vital Energy increased due to Iron Body Skill breakthrough) [Skill Points: 0] [Techniques: Basic Breathing Technique (Mastery 632/1000)] [Martial Skills: Basic Fist Technique (Mastery 745/1000), Basic Footwork (Proficient 512/500), Iron Body Skill (Mastery 0/5000)] [Combat Experience: 8.7]
His Defense had risen from 8 to 10, and his Vital Energy Cap had increased from 100 to 150.
More importantly, the "Iron Bones" trait had increased his bone strength by 20%. That meant he could bear heavier loads and take more of a beating.
"Let's go!"
Lin Fan's spirits soared. It felt as if all his fatigue had vanished.
He continued hauling the final three baskets of Black Iron Ore.
This time, it was much easier.
The weight hadn't changed, but his body could clearly bear the load better after the breakthrough. Every step was steadier, and his breathing more measured. He even had enough energy to try more complicated footwork variations as he carried the ore.
By the time the twentieth basket of Black Iron Ore hit the ground, the sun was already sinking in the west.
"Done." Lin Fan let out a long breath.
He checked what he'd gained today:
His Strength had risen from 14.8 to 15.3, an increase of 0.5 points.
His Basic Fist Technique had risen from 612 to 745, an increase of 133 proficiency points.
His Basic Footwork had risen from 398 to 512, an increase of 114 proficiency points.
His Combat Experience had risen from 3.2 to 8.7, an increase of 5.5 points.
Most importantly, his Iron Body Skill had broken through to Mastery Level.
"Worth it."
He had only earned 20 points in wages—half the usual pay because he'd worked alone—but the improvement in his abilities was worth far more than that.
"Not bad, kid." Steward Wang came over and handed him a cloth pouch. "Twenty baskets, 20 points. Count it."
Lin Fan took it and tucked it into his clothes without counting. "Thanks, Steward Wang."
"Coming back tomorrow?" Steward Wang asked. "Ship Three has two more loads of Black Iron Ore to unload tomorrow. I can raise your pay a bit—1.5 points per basket."
Lin Fan thought it over, then shook his head. "I have something to do tomorrow. I won't be coming."
He needed time to practice the Gale Sword Technique and prepare for the test. Hauling bricks could improve his proficiency, but its efficiency was already starting to decline—as his abilities improved, ordinary weight training became less effective.
He needed a more efficient method.
"Fine. I'll find you next time there's work." Steward Wang didn't press him.
By the time Lin Fan wheeled his bicycle away from the dock, night had fallen.
He got on and rode off, but instead of heading straight back to the Slum District, he took a detour to a blacksmith shop in the Outer City.
"Boss, do you have any sandbags?"
Inside the blacksmith shop, a shirtless Strongman was hammering metal. He didn't even look up at the question. "They're hanging on the wall. Take a look yourself."
Lin Fan glanced at the wall, where all kinds of training equipment hung: stone locks, iron-sand bags, weighted leg wraps...
He chose a pair of weighted leg wraps, each weighing ten kilograms, then picked out a weighted vest that weighed twenty. Forty kilograms in total. Add the fifteen kilograms of bricks in his backpack, and he'd be carrying an extra fifty-five kilograms.
"That'll be 120 points." The Strongman stopped hammering and named his price.
Lin Fan pulled out his money pouch. He had the 20 points he'd earned today and the 36 points he had left over, for 56 in total—nowhere near enough.
"Boss, could you lower the price? I only have 56 points."
"Fifty-six?" The Strongman frowned. "That'll only get you a pair of leg wraps."
Lin Fan hesitated.
The wraps weighed twenty kilograms and the vest another twenty. They'd definitely work better together. But he didn't have enough money...
"How about this?" the Strongman suddenly said. "Give me a hand, and I'll give you the equipment."
"What do you need?"
"There's a batch of pig-iron ingots in the back that needs moving to the front. Fifty ingots in all, each weighing fifty kilograms. Move them, and the equipment is yours." The Strongman pointed to the training gear on the wall. "But fair warning: those ingots have been sitting there a long time. They're covered in dust and filthy."
Lin Fan's eyes lit up. "Deal."
Move some iron ingots? That was much easier than carrying Black Iron Ore—and he'd get training equipment for free.
He followed the Strongman to the back courtyard. Sure enough, a pile of dark, grimy ingots stood in the corner. Each was about the size of a brick, but incredibly dense and heavy in his hands.
Fifty ingots at fifty kilograms apiece—that was 2,500 kilograms in total.
It was a hard job for an ordinary person, but for Lin Fan, who had just broken through, it was nothing.
He took off his shirt so it wouldn't get dirty and started moving them.
One, two, three...
This time, he didn't activate his limit-training mode. He simply carried them as usual. Even so, his Strength Proficiency and Iron Body Skill Proficiency continued to rise steadily.
Half an hour later, he had moved all fifty ingots.
"Quick work." The Strongman nodded, took the weighted leg wraps and vest off the wall, and tossed them to Lin Fan. "Take them. Kid, are you training in martial arts?"
"Yeah. I'm getting ready to take the Martial Arts Academy entrance test." Lin Fan caught them.
"The Martial Arts Academy..." The Strongman looked thoughtful. "That place is a rich man's game. But with strength like yours, you've got a shot. One thing, though—keep your eyes open during the test."
"Keep my eyes open?"
"Some of the examiners... aren't exactly clean." The Strongman didn't elaborate. He waved a hand. "All right, go on. I'm closing up."
Lin Fan thanked him and left with his new training gear.
He put on the weighted vest and strapped on the leg wraps. Immediately, he felt his body grow heavier.
With an extra fifty-five kilograms on him, even walking took effort.
But Lin Fan smiled instead.
"That's more like it."
He got on his bicycle and headed for the Slum District.
The night wind blew past, carrying a chill.
Lights gradually came on along both sides of the street, and the Outer City's Night Market began to bustle. As Lin Fan rode past, he saw all kinds of stalls: food, household goods, medicinal herbs, and a few selling old books.
An elderly white-haired man sat in front of one of the bookstalls, reading a book.
Lin Fan glanced over casually and was about to ride on when the old man suddenly looked up at him.
Their eyes met.
The old man's eyes were cloudy, but there was something indescribable deep within them.
He beckoned Lin Fan over.
Lin Fan froze for a moment.
Did he know this old man?
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