People Skills and Finding His Rhythm

His interactions with Zhao Peng were much more direct and friendly.

Zhao Peng was the class's "Martial Arts Second Generation." He came from a well-off family, and his father ran a famous Martial Arts Hall in the city. He'd spent his childhood immersed in the hall, building a solid foundation. He was also outgoing and generous, and loved making friends—especially friends with "potential."

It happened after a martial arts sparring class. That day, Chen Mo and Zhao Peng were paired up to practice side kicks. With his Qi and Blood behind it, Chen Mo's kick was fast and sharp. His foot struck the target with a crisp smack, packing far more power than most kids his age could manage.

"Not bad, Brother Mo!" As soon as the sparring session ended, Zhao Peng threw an arm around Chen Mo's shoulders. His booming voice made Chen Mo's ears ring. "That side kick had some real power! You're way better than you were last month—not just a little, either! What, have you been sneaking some magic pills? You've improved so fast!"

Zhao Peng's slap on the back made Chen Mo wince. He coughed twice and smiled wryly. "Easy, Brother Peng! I haven't been taking any magic pills. I've just been practicing and thinking things through, like Instructor Xu said. I got lucky and found my rhythm, that's all. I'm nowhere near your level—you've been training since you were a kid."

"Come on, cut the modesty!" Zhao Peng didn't buy it for a second. His eyes shone like he'd struck gold. "I know you've got something up your sleeve!" He leaned closer, his voice taking on a conspiratorial note, though his good-natured enthusiasm still came through. "Hey, I've got something to tell you. My family just bought the newest Precision Type Qi and Blood Meter. It's way more accurate than that piece of junk they test us with at school every month! It doesn't just measure your total Qi and Blood; it can also measure its activity and assess your potential. So, are you free this weekend? Come over and hang out. We can test you while you're there and see where you're at. I guarantee you'll be surprised!"

The invitation was incredibly tempting.

A Qi and Blood Meter was essential equipment for cultivators. The accuracy of its readings directly affected how they adjusted their training plans. The old meters at school had a huge margin of error and could only give a rough estimate. Zhao Peng's Precision Type meter was supposedly worth hundreds of thousands. It gave readings accurate to two decimal places and even provided a professional analysis of your potential. With one, Chen Mo could track his progress much more clearly. It was exactly what he needed.

Chen Mo's heart stirred. He put on a suitably delighted expression, with a hint of embarrassment. "That... wouldn't be too much trouble? The machine must be really expensive. What if I accidentally break it?"

"What trouble? We're friends!" Zhao Peng waved it off with a broad gesture. "That thing at my place is just for show! My parents are always busy cultivating, so they never have time to use it. Might as well put it to good use. It's settled! I'll send you the address Saturday afternoon. If you don't show, you're doing me dirty!"

After he put it that way, refusing would have felt standoffish.

"Thanks, Brother Peng. I really appreciate it!" Chen Mo thanked him sincerely. He knew that with someone like Zhao Peng, the more openly you accepted his kindness, the more he'd appreciate your being easygoing and not making a fuss. Of course, Chen Mo quietly made a note of the favor all the same.

His homeroom teacher, Old Li, had also keenly noticed the change in Chen Mo.

It was after a mock exam. Chen Mo's total score had risen by a full eighty points since the previous test, putting him in the top twenty in his class. Old Li called him to his office. Chen Mo's score sheet lay on the desk, and Old Li's face was lit with a pleased smile.

"Chen Mo, you've made a lot of progress lately. All your teachers have been praising you." Old Li spoke kindly and gestured to the chair beside him. "Have a seat. I wanted to ask you something. You're sitting in the back now—has that been affecting you? Would you like me to move you up front? The study environment's better there, and it'd be easier to talk with the top students."

Chen Mo felt a warmth in his heart. He could genuinely feel Old Li's concern. After a moment's thought, he stood and politely declined. "Thank you for looking out for me, Teacher Li. But I'm used to my seat now, and it's more convenient for self-study. Besides, Zhang Shun and the others sit in the back too, so we can discuss questions together. I promise I'll come to the office more often to ask the teachers whenever I run into something I don't understand!"

Old Li looked at the calm, steady gaze in his eyes and realized the boy had his own pace and plans. He didn't press the matter. With a satisfied nod, he patted Chen Mo on the shoulder. "All right. It's good to know your own mind. Keep this up, and getting into a top-tier university is within reach. You might even make it into a key university! Keep at it!"

"Mm! Thank you, Teacher!" Chen Mo nodded firmly, his heart warm.

Of course, teenage hormones were never far behind.

As Chen Mo began to "shine" more and more, a few lively or perceptive girls in the class started looking at him with curiosity. They borrowed his notes more often and asked him questions more frequently. When they discussed class activities, there was sometimes a little more curiosity and amusement in their eyes.

Chen Mo responded to all of it with kindness and courtesy, while keeping a reasonable distance. Borrow his notes? No problem—he passed them over without fuss. Ask him a question? He answered patiently, but never lingered to chat. Discuss an activity? He kept to the topic and didn't drag it out.

After all, his soul held a man in his thirties. He was long past the stage of getting distracted by a little attention from girls. Besides, with the Gaokao approaching, cultivation came first. Any distraction was a luxury he couldn't afford.

The only person in the class who seemed unaffected by the "Chen Mo craze" was probably Xu Yunjing.

She remained like a perfect ice sculpture, or a monument to self-discipline. Most of the time, she was immersed in her own world of studying and cultivation, oblivious to everything around her. Only two or three equally outstanding girls ever gathered around her, and their conversations were always about academics or martial arts—concise and efficient.

Every now and then, Chen Mo sensed the faintest glance from her direction. Perhaps it came from the competitive instinct of one top student toward another. Perhaps she was simply curious. Either way, that was all there was to it. Her gaze would fall on him, then quickly move away, never lingering.

This is good, Chen Mo thought. We keep our distance, work hard on our own, and don't get in each other's way. That's the best arrangement.

His closest circle, the people he could always rely on, consisted of just two people: Zhang Shun and Zhang Yuxi.

Zhang Yuxi became Chen Mo's "chief examiner" for humanities and his number-one "study fan." She'd always had a decent foundation in history and politics, but her thinking was a little narrow, and she tended to stay within the confines of the textbook. Chen Mo's approach to solving questions blended knowledge from two lifetimes. His perspective was often unexpected and always gave her new ideas.

With Chen Mo's influence, Zhang Yuxi's progress was rapid. In several quizzes, her total score in the humanities subjects had climbed into the top fifty in the grade. It was the kind of result she would never have dared to dream of before.

"Chen Mo, Chen Mo! Look, look!" During a break one day, Zhang Yuxi hurried over to his desk, clutching a history test paper like a happy little bird. Her eyes sparkled like stars, and excitement had brought a faint blush to her chubby cheeks. "For this essay question about Early Social Structure Changes of the Psionic Tide, I used that idea you mentioned last time—that the redistribution of resources led to social mobility! Look, the teacher gave me full marks!"

Chen Mo took the paper and looked it over. Her handwriting was neat and elegant, her reasoning clear, and her supporting evidence thorough. It really was an excellent answer. He nodded approvingly, then pointed out one spot with his finger. "This is really good. But your conclusion here—that 'Traditional Aristocratic Martial Artist Families declined rapidly'—is a little too absolute. Think about it: some families with deep roots used what they'd accumulated to successfully transform into Psionic Families. They didn't decline. You could say 'some' or 'most' instead. That would make the wording more precise."

"Oh, right!" Zhang Yuxi slapped her forehead as realization dawned. She immediately pulled out a pen and began correcting it on the spot, muttering under her breath, "Whenever I compare myself to you, I feel like my thinking is missing something... Did you sneak some Mind Expansion Potion or something? How else did you get so good all of a sudden?"

Chen Mo couldn't help laughing. He'd heard that more than once. He shrugged and gave his usual joking answer. "There's no such thing. Maybe... all that Standing Meditation sent my Qi and Blood to my brain."

The few boys nearby who overheard him couldn't help laughing too.