"What do you mean, trouble?" Zhao Peng waved a hand, his tone utterly sincere. "Actually, this was my dad's idea, too. I told him yesterday that training with you lately had been really effective—I'd gotten more out of it than private lessons, and the best part was that it didn't cost me a cent!"
He scratched his head and chuckled. "Dad was thrilled when he heard that. He told me to keep learning from you, and even made a point of telling me to have the driver bring you lunch every day from now on. Think of it as... um, a 'service fee' for us helping each other improve! It's no trouble for the family to make one extra portion, so don't be shy!"
After he'd put it like that, refusing again would have seemed affected.
Chen Mo understood perfectly well. This wasn't any kind of "service fee." It was the Zhao Family's goodwill, and a subtle, ongoing "investment." By using excuses like "helping each other improve" and "saving on private lessons," Zhao Peng was looking out for Chen Mo's pride while quietly offering him real help. It was hard to imagine a more considerate gesture.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Zhao Peng had made sure to approach it with complete sincerity.
Chen Mo understood, so he stopped hesitating and smiled as he nodded. "Then thanks, Brother Peng. And please thank your dad for me, too. I won't stand on ceremony!"
"Now that's more like it!" Zhao Peng grinned and patted him on the shoulder.
Watching from beside them, Zhang Shun was unbearably envious. He nudged Chen Mo in the arm and waggled his eyebrows. "Look at you, Brother Mo! It's only been a few days, and you've already got VIP meal delivery! I'm jealous!"
Zhao Peng laughed heartily, then turned to Zhang Shun and Zhang Yuxi and said generously, "Shunzi, Yuxi, next time I'll ask what you like ahead of time and bring you both a meal, too! This was a last-minute decision, and I didn't know what you liked, so I didn't dare bring extra."
Zhang Shun and Zhang Yuxi hurriedly waved their hands and said there was no need to go to the trouble, but both of them thought Zhao Peng really knew how to handle people. He wasn't the least bit obnoxious.
Not long afterward, a middle-aged man in a black suit and white gloves hurried into the classroom carrying a fine, multi-tiered insulated lunch box. It was Xiao Liu, the Zhao Family's driver.
Xiao Liu respectfully handed the lunch box to Zhao Peng, nodded to Chen Mo, then turned and left.
Zhao Peng picked up the lunch box and beckoned to Chen Mo. "Come on, Brother Mo. Let's eat in that corner over there."
Not many students stayed at school to study over the weekend. The corner at the back of the classroom was quiet, just right for eating and chatting.
Zhao Peng opened the insulated lunch box, and a rich aroma immediately filled the air.
The lunch box had three tiers. The top held two carefully prepared dishes—braised beef brisket and stir-fried seasonal vegetables. The beef was tender and flavorful, its color a rich red, while the vegetables were crisp and bright green, making the mouth water just to look at them. The middle tier held a serving of tamagoyaki, golden and soft, with a faint milky fragrance. The bottom held a bowl of seaweed egg drop soup, clear and savory, with chopped scallions sprinkled over the top. Beside them sat two large boxes of fragrant white rice, each grain distinct and glistening.
The dishes weren't as lavish or rare as the meal Chen Mo had eaten at the Zhao Family's villa the previous Saturday, but they were still clearly prepared with care, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables and good nutrition.
Chen Mo picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of beef into his mouth.
The beef melted on his tongue. Its rich meaty flavor, mingled with a faint medicinal aroma, burst across his palate. More importantly, after just a couple of chews, he distinctly felt a faint but pure energy slide down his throat into his abdomen, then slowly seep into his meridians and nourish his Qi and Blood.
That energy was nowhere near as forceful or obvious as the "Crimson Ridge Savage Beef" he'd eaten last time, but it made up for that by being gentle and long-lasting. Chen Mo made a rough estimate: the Qi and Blood this meal replenished was probably worth more than half a Qi and Blood Capsule!
Half a Qi and Blood Capsule cost two hundred and fifty yuan.
The value of this meal easily exceeded two hundred yuan.
More importantly, it was free, and he could have it every day.
Chen Mo felt a quiet pang of emotion. This was the convenience of having resources: they could improve the efficiency of everyday cultivation without anyone noticing. In the past, even if he'd scrimped and saved, he might not have been able to eat meals this nutritious every day.
"How does it taste? Is it to your liking?" Zhao Peng asked, looking up between bites of rice.
"It's excellent," Chen Mo said honestly, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It's even better than my mom's cooking."
"Good!" Zhao Peng beamed. "I was worried it might not suit your taste. Mama Wu is one of the best cooks in our household!"
As they ate, they naturally got to talking about the challenging final math problem from that morning.
It was quite difficult, combining calculus and inequalities, and few people in the class had managed to solve it completely. Zhao Peng was already good at science subjects, and with the guidance of famous tutors his family had hired, he often came up with original approaches. Sometimes he could break free of conventional methods and offer solutions that were genuinely eye-opening.
Chen Mo, on the other hand, had the advantage of the solid foundation provided by the system, along with the perspective of someone who'd lived through two lifetimes. His reasoning was more rigorous and his logic clearer. He could always pinpoint the flaws in Zhao Peng's approach and offer a simpler solution.
They traded thoughts and insights, each helping the other see things in a new light. Many points they'd been stuck on suddenly became clear after the other explained them. By the end of the meal, they'd not only filled their stomachs but thoroughly mastered the problem.
Both felt they'd gained a lot. They exchanged smiles, their eyes reflecting a sense of mutual respect.
In the days that followed, a new routine gradually took shape.
At school, Zhao Peng still slipped to the back of the classroom between classes to chat and joke around with Chen Mo, Zhang Shun, and Zhang Yuxi, sharing all kinds of news from on and off campus. Meanwhile, every day at noon, Master Xiao Liu's "VIP lunch" arrived right on time, becoming a steady source of high-quality nutrition and Qi and Blood for Chen Mo.
Chen Mo's Qi and Blood Value continued to climb under this day-after-day nourishment, bringing him ever closer to the threshold of 80 points.
On Saturday, Chen Mo returned to Zhao Peng's house as promised.
This time, they changed the order of their training. Rather than practicing in the afternoon, they scheduled the high-intensity workout for the morning, when they were in their best condition.
The Zhao Family's top-tier cultivation room contained even denser spiritual energy than last time. The Spirit Gathering Array on the walls gave off a faint glow, and breathing it into their lungs lifted their spirits.
Chen Mo was in excellent condition.
The lunches and dinners over the previous few days had steadily replenished his Qi and Blood and energy, keeping his body in a consistently full state. He no longer had to worry about running out of Qi and Blood halfway through his training.
Zhao Peng stood opposite him, watching as Chen Mo assumed the Black Tiger Stance. His eyes were full of anticipation.
"Brother Mo, make sure to give me plenty of pointers today!" Zhao Peng rubbed his hands together, eager to begin.
Chen Mo nodded, lowered his center of gravity, and settled his hips before taking the stance. "We'll start with standing meditation and get a feel for it. Remember what I told you last time: sink your shoulders and drop your elbows. That doesn't mean forcing them down. Relax and let your Qi and Blood settle naturally..."
He demonstrated as he explained, his voice clear and steady.
Zhao Peng hurriedly followed along, paying close attention to every detail.
Chen Mo closed his eyes and sank his awareness into his Dantian.
His warm Qi and Blood flowed steadily through his meridians like a rushing stream. Unlike before, when he had to guide it deliberately, its circulation now felt smoother and more natural. He could clearly sense it passing through every inch of muscle and every tendon and bone, bringing a gentle, tingling warmth.
His stance was as solid as a mountain, as steady as bedrock. His body seemed to merge with the cultivation room, unmoving no matter how his Qi and Blood surged within him.
After completing the stance, he moved straight on to the Body Tempering Fist.
Chen Mo took a deep breath and threw a punch.
His fist cut through the air with a sharp whoosh. It was no longer just brute force; it carried the power of Qi and Blood, combining strength with softness. Each move flowed seamlessly into the next, its force held in reserve yet still carrying the weight of a thousand jun.
He could clearly feel that his understanding of the Black Tiger Stance and Body Tempering Fist had deepened once again. The bottleneck of being "proficient" was now within reach.
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