Training Room, Sweat, and the Virtual World

After a few rounds of drinks (actually juice), Zhao Peng started talking more and brought up his own troubles. He set down his juice glass, his tone unusually somber: "It's a shame, though. My talent kind of lets down all the resources my parents have poured into me. My Qi and Blood isn't rising slowly, but it's 'hollow'—when I exert force, I always feel like my Qi and Blood mobilization rate can't keep up. Even though my total Qi and Blood is higher than a lot of people's, when it comes to actual sparring, I'm always a bit lacking. So every time I spar with Li Haoran, I can't gain any advantage, let alone against freaks like Xu Yunjing and Song Yunliang. I just can't beat them."

Chen Mo looked at the disappointment on his face and understood in his heart. Zhao Peng's problem was actually a common ailment among many "resource-type" Martial Artists—a thick foundation of Qi and Blood, but insufficient control over it, and less refined force application techniques, causing his actual combat ability to lag behind his Qi and Blood level. He weighed his words and comforted him: "Brother Peng, you're being too modest. Your foundation is thicker than the vast majority of your peers; that's already a huge advantage. As for force application techniques, I think you might need to ponder them more, or find a specialized teacher to guide you—sometimes it's just a layer of window paper; once it's pierced, everything's fine. Besides, I can see you have a unique eye for business and interpersonal relationships. When you inherit your uncle's business in the future, I'm sure you'll make it even bigger."

These words hit the nail on the head for Zhao Peng. His eyes lit up, and he instantly perked up, leaning in and lowering his voice: "Brother Mo, you really noticed? To be honest, I do have some interest in martial arts training, but I know I'm not top-tier material—compared to a natural martial arts prodigy like Xu Yunjing, I'm way off. My dad is pretty open-minded about it; he says that being able to preserve and expand the family business is more useful than just being a simple fighter. Honestly, I just like figuring out how to sell things, how to get people to want to come to my family's 'Pengcheng Martial Arts' gym, how to deal with people... Hey, I think that's pretty fun too, way more interesting than Standing Meditation and punching."

Chen Mo understood in his heart. Zhao Peng seemed rough around the edges, but he actually had a clear plan for his future. His reason for befriending Chen Mo, besides compatible personalities and appreciating his rapid progress, likely wasn't without the consideration of "investing in a rising stock"—a classmate from an ordinary background, progressing astonishingly fast, with a steady personality and a sense of gratitude, could become a good ally, or even a partner, in the future.

Chen Mo didn't dislike this kind of "utilitarian" friendship; on the contrary, he appreciated it. In the adult world, pure friendship is certainly precious, but relationships built on mutual benefit and appreciation are often more stable and long-lasting. Right now, he had nothing but himself; what he lacked most were opportunities and resources. Zhao Peng extending an olive branch early was something he welcomed.

"Brother Peng, with your vision and ideas, you'll definitely be more successful in the future than us who just bury our heads in training." Chen Mo raised his juice glass and said sincerely, "To be honest, the progress I've made so far is all from fumbling around on my own. The road ahead is still long. If I ever manage to make something of myself, I'll never forget Brother Peng's support today—I'll keep this kindness in my heart."

"Hey! Why say that! That's too formal!" Zhao Peng immediately raised his juice glass too, gently clinking it against Chen Mo's. The crisp sound of glass meeting glass rang out. The disappointment on his face vanished, replaced by a hearty smile. "I, Zhao Peng, never misjudge people! I have faith in you, Brother Mo! Really! We're brothers from now on, we'll look out for each other! If you ever need any help, just say the word! Don't mention it—come over to my place anytime to test your Qi and Blood, grab some meat to eat, you're always welcome! I'll have Mama Wu save some Crimson Ridge Savage Beef for you!"

Chen Mo looked at Zhao Peng's sincere eyes, and a warm current surged in his heart. He knew that after today's interaction, his relationship with Zhao Peng had moved from ordinary classmates to true friends.

Outside the window, the sunlight gradually slanted westward, streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dining room, stretching their shadows long. The dishes on the table were still steaming, and the air was filled with the aroma of food and the faint sweetness of juice, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.

This Saturday, Chen Mo had not only obtained precise Qi and Blood data and confirmed his progress, but also gained a precious friendship. He looked at Zhao Peng, who was chatting animatedly beside him, and silently thought to himself: Perhaps this second chance at youth wasn't just about training and the Gaokao, but also about these unexpected warmth and bonds.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhao Peng patted his round belly and let out a satisfied burp: "Ah, that hit the spot! Brother Mo, full and happy, let's go to the training room and move around a bit? Work off the food, and you can try out my family's training equipment—way better than the school's!"

"Sure." Chen Mo had been thinking the same thing. After this energy-rich meal, the Qi and Blood in his Dantian was stirring restlessly; it was the perfect time to train. Plus, he was genuinely curious about the professional equipment at Zhao Peng's place.

The two went back to the training room on the second floor. By now, the afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the high windows of the training room, coating the cold metal equipment in a warm golden hue, adding a touch of softness to the otherwise highly technological space.

"Come on, take your pick!" Zhao Peng spread his arms, indicating Chen Mo could choose freely. "Except for those few in the back, you can try everything else. Those are for my parents—they're 'Gravity Training Pods' and 'Qi and Blood Impact Devices' that only Martial Artists can handle. At our level, touching them would just be asking for trouble; we might even damage our meridians."

Chen Mo followed his gaze. At the innermost part of the training room, against the wall, stood two pieces of equipment with heavier builds—one was a sealed metal pod marked with "Gravity Adjustment Range 1.2-3.0G"; the other was connected to numerous tubes and looked like medical equipment, but exuded a sharp, aggressive aura. He was secretly awed. The training equipment of Martial Artists was indeed beyond his reach for now.

His gaze shifted back to the equipment in the middle area. Chen Mo first walked over to the Intelligent Treadmill. Unlike the ordinary treadmills at school that could only adjust speed and incline, this one had a wider running belt with anti-slip patterns, and the control panel beside it was marked with functions like "Qi and Blood Consumption Monitoring" and "Stride Frequency Optimization Guidance."

"This treadmill is interesting. It adjusts the resistance based on your Qi and Blood Fluctuation and can also remind you of your breathing rhythm while running to avoid Qi and Blood disorder." Zhao Peng came over to introduce it. "I use it for my morning runs; the results are way better than running outside."

Chen Mo nodded, stepped onto the treadmill, and pressed the start button. The belt slowly began to turn, the speed increasing from slow to fast. Just as Zhao Peng had said, while running, he could feel the resistance of the belt subtly adjusting with his stride, and a gentle electronic voice came from the speakers: "Breathing rate slightly fast. It is recommended to adjust to a rhythm of three steps inhale, three steps exhale, to keep Qi and Blood stable..."

He followed the prompt to adjust his breathing, and sure enough, the flow of Qi and Blood during the run became much smoother. The feeling of chest tightness that usually appeared during running also lessened. But after running for over ten minutes, Chen Mo gradually felt something was off—this treadmill, while advanced, was more suited for daily physical training. It wasn't much help for what he needed most at this stage: "Qi and Blood Condensation" and "improving proficiency in Stance and Fist Techniques." What he lacked most right now wasn't endurance, but control over his Qi and Blood and the refinement of his techniques.

"This one is indeed good, but it might not be quite right for what I need right now." Chen Mo stopped the treadmill and wiped the thin sweat from his forehead.