"This is the tester you mentioned?" Chen Mo's eyes were drawn to a glass display cabinet on one side of the living room. Inside the clear tempered glass were several gleaming gold martial arts trophies, a few gold-embossed certificates, and several small, high-tech-looking devices that seemed to be portable testing instruments.
"Those? They're just portable toys. Their accuracy is nowhere near good enough." Zhao Peng waved a hand dismissively and stood up. "The real deal is in the training room upstairs! Come on, I'll broaden your horizons. I guarantee you'll see what professional equipment looks like!"
The two of them climbed the carpeted stairs to the second floor and walked down a quiet hallway. Several landscape photographs hung on the walls. The lighting was soft, and the thick carpet muffled their footsteps completely. Zhao Peng stopped in front of a heavy solid-wood door and pressed his finger to the scanner beside it. A soft beep sounded, and the lock released. The door slid silently inward.
A breath of air carrying faint traces of metal, rubber, and some kind of freshener washed over them, instantly dispelling the stuffiness of the hallway. Chen Mo looked up and couldn't help feeling surprised—the training room was even larger than he had imagined, almost half the size of his school's martial arts gym. The floor was covered with special dark-gray shock-absorbing, soundproof soft cushions. They were springy underfoot, protecting the ankles while absorbing the noise made during training.
Along one wall stood a neat row of professional training equipment: an imported Intelligent Treadmill, an adjustable-weight Strength Trainer, a Reaction Ball Emitter that could simulate attacks from different angles, a smooth-polished Wooden Dummy, and several oddly shaped devices for improving Qi and Blood circulation... The room was packed with impressive equipment, every piece looking expensive. Against the far wall stood a freestanding silver-gray machine with sleek lines and a futuristic look. It was exactly what Chen Mo had come for—the Advanced Qi and Blood Tester.
This machine was far more refined than the bulky, scratched-up antique at school. Its entire body was made of matte metal, cool and smooth to the touch. A high-definition display about sixty centimeters wide was mounted on the front, with two curved palm-sensing panels below it. The inside of each panel was covered in countless tiny contact points. Nearby were several differently shaped ports and indicator lights in various colors. Overall, the design was simple and professional.
"Here it is, the Jinggong Third Generation professional Qi and Blood Tester." Zhao Peng walked over and patted the machine, his voice carrying a trace of pride he could barely hide. "My family spent a fortune upgrading to it last year. Fewer than five families in the entire Huihe City Area have one. The outdated tester at school can only give you a rough whole number, with a margin of error of plus or minus three points. It's basically useless. This one's different. It's accurate to two decimal places! It can measure your total Qi and Blood and analyze its activity. It even has a built-in potential assessment model. The model's only for reference, of course, but it's a lot better than guessing. It gives you a rough idea of your future cultivation ceiling."
Chen Mo stepped closer and could clearly sense a faint energy field radiating from the machine—the subtle fluctuations produced by its precision electronic components. He reached out and lightly touched the contact points on the sensor panel, feeling a slight chill. "This thing must be expensive, right?" he asked curiously.
"My dad didn't tell me the exact price, but it cost as much as several decent family cars." Zhao Peng shrugged, clearly not too concerned about the price. For the Zhao Family, professional equipment that could aid their training was worth the cost, no matter how high. He went to the control panel beside the machine and pressed the power button. "Come on, give it a try! Put your hand on it, relax your whole body, and circulate your Qi and Blood the way you usually do. It'll scan and analyze everything automatically. The whole process only takes about ten seconds."
Chen Mo took a deep breath, calming his excitement and nerves. He firmly placed his right hand on the cold sensor panel, closed his eyes, and adjusted his breathing until his chest rose and fell steadily. Then he slowly drew on the increasingly robust warm current of Qi and Blood in his Dantian. Following the Black Tiger Stance's mental cultivation formula, he guided the current along his arm's meridians and into his palm, letting it circulate naturally there.
The machine started instantly, emitting a low hum that was almost inaudible. The sensor panel warmed slightly, and its tiny contact points lit up with a faint green glow. The display came to life. Against its blue background, complicated curves and rows of data began scrolling rapidly, cascading down like a waterfall—waveforms showing Qi and Blood flow, measurements of meridian conduction strength, and real-time heart-rate data. It was enough to make anyone's eyes swim.
Zhao Peng stood to one side with his arms crossed, eyes fixed on the display. He looked expectant, and a little curious. He knew Chen Mo was making rapid progress, but he had no idea just how fast.
About ten seconds later, the machine's hum gradually died away, and the sensor panel cooled. The data on the display stabilized, finally settling into several clear lines:
[Qi and Blood Value: 75.23 cal] [Qi and Blood activity: 82% (Assessment: Above Average)] [Overall Potential Estimate: B+ (Above Average)] [Notes: Qi and Blood growth rate is 37% above the age-group baseline. Mental fluctuations are stable, and Qi and Blood circulation is smooth. Continued observation is recommended, along with a possible increase in high-intensity combat training.]
75.23 cal!
Chen Mo's heart gave a sudden jolt, and delight flashed through his eyes. That was a full 4.23 cal higher than his previous school test result of 71! And the figure was accurate to two decimal places, making it feel startlingly real. It meant he'd been training in exactly the right direction lately. The Qi and Blood Capsules and the system's efficient feedback had truly helped him achieve twice the results with half the effort.
An 82% Qi and Blood activity rating, assessed as above average. Chen Mo considered this quietly. It was probably due to two things. First, he'd made rapid progress recently, and his Qi and Blood were in a period of rapid growth, so their circulation was naturally more efficient. Second, the system had increased his Mental Strength, allowing him to guide and control his Qi and Blood more precisely than most people his age. That meant less waste and naturally higher activity.
As for the B+ potential estimate, Chen Mo couldn't help smiling to himself. He knew his innate talent was actually quite ordinary, only average among the general population. The B+ assessment was probably due to the system's efficient training and his recent explosive progress, which had raised the model's score. Still, that was a good thing. At least to outsiders, he looked like someone with a bright future, not someone whose progress was too unusual.
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