Will Achieve Something!

This...

The mysterious information that suddenly sprang into his mind sent Lin Yin's thoughts churning like a stormy sea.

Fate: Heaven rewards diligence!

Heaven rewards diligence; those who work hard will achieve something. As long as he took action, he would be rewarded. No skill had any barrier of aptitude or bottleneck for him.

All sorts of complicated information flashed through Lin Yin's mind—the insights into the Vajra Stance, and the meanings hidden between obscure words.

He subconsciously followed the stance described in the book. His movements flowed like water as he performed a series of stances.

Th-this was simply unbelievable.

Looking at the details of the stances in the book, which ordinary people couldn't manage, Lin Yin had immediately assumed the posture. Even he was stunned.

This cheat... No, this talent of his was practically made for martial arts.

Before Lin Yin could feel happy, a strange sensation suddenly welled up inside his body, like a warm current shooting from the soles of his feet straight up through the tendons along his spine.

"Hmph..."

He grunted. It felt as if every muscle in his body had suddenly twisted tight like a hemp rope, straining against one another. Even the major tendons beneath his flesh and skin seemed to twitch faintly. It was painful, numb, and sore.

Within a few breaths, cold sweat poured from Lin Yin's forehead.

But the strange sensation came and went quickly.

As if all his strength had been drained, Lin Yin collapsed to the ground with a thud.

In a daze, he heard his mother, Madam Wang, cry out in alarm, along with the clattering of pots, bowls, and pans.

When Lin Yin woke again, he saw Madam Wang bowing to an old man and thanking him profusely.

"Madam Wang, your son is in no serious danger. He's simply weak and frail, and can't digest nourishing food. You should try to get him some meat from time to time and build him up..."

"Thank you, Doctor Zhang. Thank you!"

"Ah, there's no need to thank me. When Brother Lin was around, he helped me gather herbs in the mountains. He was a good man... What a pity!"

After the doctor left, Lin Yin sat up on the bed.

"Yin'er..." His elderly mother's face was lined with worry as she looked at him. Lin Yin spoke at once.

"Mother! I don't plan to study anymore."

"Stop studying? How can you stop studying? I'll find a way..."

"Mother!"

Madam Wang's words abruptly halted. She stared at Lin Yin, having never before seen such determination on her son's face.

Usually, he was timid and indecisive in the way he dealt with people and matters, but now...

Lin Yin stepped forward and gently patted his mother's shoulder. "Believe me, Mother. I'll make sure the two of us can live well."

After reassuring Madam Wang and giving her a few simple instructions, Lin Yin left.

"Nourishment that the body can't handle..."

Thinking of the doctor's words and combining them with his understanding of the Vajra Stance, Lin Yin knew why his body had reacted that way.

His body had already been frail. He had suddenly grasped the Vajra Stance's basics, and even assuming a simple stance required more strength than his body could muster.

The Vajra Stake Technique was nothing like the so-called "martial arts" he'd heard about in his previous life, dismissed by the world as fancy but useless moves. This was a genuine internal-strength technique that could refine one's blood and vital energy, making the body as still and strong as steel.

Even an ordinary person with talent and good bone structure would need two or three months of diligent practice just to learn the basics.

Those without talent or good bone structure might need years. But Lin Yin had grasped all the essentials after only a brief read, and had even performed the stance. If word got out, it would be absolutely shocking.

"What I need to do now is get my body back in shape first. Otherwise, my blood and vital energy will surely be depleted."

Putting his thoughts into action, Lin Yin went to the town's market and sold all his Four Treasures of the Study—the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone—for nearly three hundred coins!

"Poor scholars, rich martial artists..."

Tsk, tsk. It wasn't easy for ordinary people to turn their lives around!

In his memories, most of his father's savings had gone to the school. Just thinking about it made Lin Yin's heart ache.

With money in hand, he naturally had to buy meat. Lin Yin made another trip to the butcher's stall and gritted his teeth as he bought half a catty of meat for thirty coins.

By the time he got home, dusk had fallen. From far away, Li Yin saw his elderly mother, Madam Wang, sitting in front of the house, craning her neck as she waited.

Madam Wang had wanted to say something about Li Yin selling the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, but in the end she said nothing. With a heart heavy with worry, she made a "sumptuous" dinner.

The aroma of fat stimulated Lin Yin's taste buds. He wolfed down his food, replenishing his energy while urging his mother to eat as well. Madam Wang refused again and again, mostly just dipping her rice in a little oil and pretending it was delicious.

Seeing how stubborn his elderly mother was, Lin Yin didn't press her. He could only sigh inwardly, wishing to reap the full benefits of mastering the Stance Skill as soon as possible. Once he had strength, he would at least have more hope. Perhaps...

Lin Yin thought of the martial arts school his father had once worked so hard to run.

After eating and drinking his fill, his mother, Madam Wang, went off to wash the pots and dishes by herself. Lin Yin went out through the back door of the small house and began practicing on a patch of open grass.

The mysterious method of circulating energy in the Vajra Stake Technique came to him almost at once.

"Set the feet apart, front and back. Turn the front toes inward like an awl; grind the rear heel outward like a nail. Bend the front knee like a bow; straighten the rear leg like a taut bowstring. Grip the ground with the toes like a tiger's claws digging into mud—"

He silently recited the instructions. His feet were planted like nails. After completing a set of movements, the muscle twitches struck again. But unlike before, when he had been weak as duckweed floating on water, this time Lin Yin felt a warm current flow from his stomach into his limbs.

The sensation was wondrous, as if some inexplicable force had sprung to life within him. On this frosty night, it brought Lin Yin a touch of unusual warmth.

Incredible!

Though he had already anticipated it, such a striking change still left Lin Yin shaken to the core.

He didn't stop, but continued practicing, making the most of his full stomach and pressing on without pause.

Soon, he had practiced for more than ten rounds. Only when his muscles ached and his limbs grew weak did Lin Yin stop moving.

Drenched in sweat, he went inside and took a hot bath.

The second day, the third day... morning, noon, and night.

Lin Yin didn't eat meat at every meal, but he had at least one meaty meal a day, and he always practiced after eating.

The evening of the fifth day.

As Lin Yin slowly lowered his arms, now beginning to take shape, steaming heat poured from the surface of his body, forming a hazy mist around him.

[Heaven rewards diligence; those who work hard will achieve something]

[Vajra Stake Technique: Basic Level (2/100)]

His aching, numb muscles seemed to fill with vigor in an instant. A powerful force surged up from the mysterious region of his Dantian.

Success!

A glimmer of golden light seemed to flicker in Lin Yin's eyes. Looking at his body now, there was no trace of the frail, hollow appearance he'd had three days earlier.

It was extraordinary, beyond all reason!

Nearly all the meat worth three hundred coins had gone into his stomach.

In just five short days, with the Vajra Stake Technique at the basic level, Lin Yin seemed to have been remade from the inside out.

With the information about his fate in his mind, Lin Yin now knew that he had fully drawn out the Vajra Stake Technique's basic level.

Every punch and kick carried more force than an ordinary person's, thanks to the training of the Vajra Stake Technique.