Reputation

"Dan Jin."

Li Pin shook his arm as he looked at the heavily swaying custom sandbag.

He focused his mind, concentrating on his arm, and within just a minute, he had a clear read on its condition.

"Soft tissue damage, minor tears in muscles and tendons, some injury to nerves and blood vessels... To be specific, the damage is concentrated in the short flexors, short abductors, and opponens muscles, while the nerves and blood vessels are mainly in the median nerve, its recurrent branch, the deep branch of the ulnar nerve, the radial artery, and the ulnar artery... But all this damage is within normal limits."

After a month, his blood and qi had climbed to 21.014, on par with Shanhu.

Naturally, there was no way to unleash a Dan Jin with this level of physique and qi without paying a price.

"I need to practice it alongside a nurturing method."

In his past life, after realizing he had damaged his foundation, Li Pin had actively sought out techniques to regulate his body, and among them, he had spent the most effort on the Five Animals Exercise.

But in this life, with the "Insight" talent, he had to choose a different one.

The most suitable...

"The Daoist Innate Breath Nourishing Qi Technique."

In his past life, this was his one and only stroke of fortune.

When his power had transformed and he sought to Embrace Dan, he entered Lingyun Mountain in search of a master and encountered a true Daoist cultivator.

Though the man was no martial arts expert, at ninety-six years old, he was still free of illness and pain, with a robust body.

Seeing that Li Pin had little time left, he taught him the Innate Breath Nourishing Qi Technique.

This was a method of nurturing qi that could reverse the innate state and tap into the body's Life Vitality, with remarkable effects in regulating hidden injuries and nourishing the flesh.

Unfortunately, at that time, he had little time left, was restless and impatient, and couldn't calm his mind to comprehend it. He died without ever achieving even the first step of practice.

Now, with a second chance, it was entirely worth a try.

So, he began to breathe according to the method of the Innate Qi Nourishing Technique.

The Changfeng Martial Hall had fewer people in the morning.

It wasn't until after nine that people started showing up one after another.

But none of them were Li Pin's students.

After finishing the Innate Qi Nourishing Technique, he continued practicing the Mysterious Gate of Profound Yin.

Around noon, Li Pin's phone rang.

He answered, and soon Fang Yubai's voice came through: "Old Li, Chef Wang's downstairs. Let's grab a meal together."

"Sure."

Li Pin didn't refuse.

He and Fang Yubai had gotten along well before, and with the connection of introducing Fang Lingjue, their relationship had improved a lot over the past month.

He went downstairs and headed straight to Chef Wang's restaurant in the mall below.

When he arrived, he found that Fang Yubai was already waiting with two young women who had delicate features and were dressed stylishly.

"Old Li."

Fang Yubai greeted him, then introduced them: "This is my girlfriend, Meng Lingbing, and her friend, Zhang Yunxi."

"Hello."

Li Pin took the initiative to greet them.

"He's... Li Pin?"

Meng Lingbing seemed to recognize Li Pin and said with some surprise.

"Yeah."

Fang Yubai replied, then warned her: "Don't listen to the rumors at school."

"Oh."

Meng Lingbing nodded, but her expression was a bit stiff.

The woman beside her, Zhang Yunxi, frowned, then stood up directly: "Bingbing, weren't we supposed to meet Lele? She's already here. Should we go pick her up?"

"I..."

Meng Lingbing quickly understood what she meant. After hesitating for a moment, she said: "You go ahead. I'll wait here for you."

"Really not coming? Lele will be upset."

"You go."

Meng Lingbing said, glancing secretly at Fang Yubai.

"Fine then."

Zhang Yunxi said, and without even saying goodbye to Fang Yubai or Li Pin, she left directly.

This outcome left Fang Yubai a bit embarrassed, but he quickly returned to a normal expression and said: "Yunxi has things to do, so let her go. Let's eat first."

"I'll go upstairs to grab something?"

Li Pin said.

He was planning to leave.

"No harm in eating first before grabbing it."

Fang Yubai understood his intent and waved a hand directly: "Whatever you want to eat, I'll order it for you. We'll eat together."

"Up to you."

Li Pin didn't stand on ceremony upon hearing this.

He even asked bluntly: "Does Zhang Yunxi know An Wanyi?"

"Uh..."

Meng Lingbing glanced at Fang Yubai and replied: "Yes."

Fang Yubai, a bit embarrassed, added: "I've met Zhang Yunxi a few times too. I thought she had decent character and looked good. According to Lingbing, she keeps herself clean at school. I was planning to introduce her to you so you wouldn't be stuck in the martial arts hall all day and get bored. I didn't expect..."

"It's fine."

Li Pin said.

In the future, once he achieved mastery and made a name for himself, he would have a proper talk with Jing Gufeng and An Wanyi. As for the other students at Hanyang University?

He figured he wouldn't cross paths with them again.

Naturally, he wouldn't waste emotional energy on them either.

"Li Pin? Fang Yubai? You're here too?"

Just then, a crisp voice rang out.

Soon after, Shanhu walked over, her ponytail swinging, dressed in a red-and-white tracksuit that made her look youthful and vibrant, like a student.

Beside her was a woman in a yellow dress with neat bangs and long hair cascading down her shoulders.

The woman not only had delicate features but also exuded a gentle, graceful aura. The moment she arrived, the entire hall seemed to brighten, and many customers in the shop kept glancing over.

"Yubai's treating us to a meal."

Li Pin said.

"Mind if we join tables?"

Shanhu asked openly.

Li Pin looked at Fang Yubai.

Fang Yubai's gaze unconsciously lingered on the woman in the yellow dress for a few extra moments: "Of course. Your friend..."

"It's fine."

Shanhu glanced at the woman: "Yingying? More people means more fun. We can order more dishes and try different flavors without worrying about wasting food. What do you think?"

"Okay."

The woman smiled faintly at Fang Yubai and Li Pin: "Sorry for the intrusion."

"No intrusion at all. Please, have a seat."

Fang Yubai said quickly.

Shanhu, completely unbothered by unfamiliarity, pulled out a chair and sat down, introducing: "This is my bestie, Liu Yingying."

Fang Yubai introduced the others as well.

Once seated, Shanhu immediately started chatting with Li Pin.

"Li Pin, I noticed your punches are much more forceful than before. Your blood energy's broken past 20, right?"

"It has."

Li Pin said.

"You're improving way too fast. But with how hard you train, you deserve this kind of progress."

"Nothing I can do about it. Since this is my job, I have to put in the effort."

"You're really suited for this path."

Shanhu nodded in deep agreement.

She had watched his training over the past month. Even if Li Pin was just picking up martial arts he'd abandoned before, his growth rate was still too fast.

There was only one explanation.

He was naturally gifted.

"Next week is the biannual Martial Arts Qualification Certificate exam, right? Can you get the Level 1 certificate? Or are you going straight for Level 2?"

"Straight for Level 2."

Li Pin said.

If it weren't for the rule that you could only skip one level at most, he would have gone straight for Level 3.

That's just an Intermediate Title.

But that's fine.

With his current rate of progress, waiting another half year, he could directly take the Associate Senior Title.

His words, however, made Shanhu pause, and she couldn't help blurting out, "I was joking! You're serious!? You're really going straight for the Level Two Assistant Martial Artist Title?"

"Yes."

Li Pin said.

"You..."

Shanhu's good mood vanished instantly.

"Level Two!?"

Fang Yubai's eyes snapped wide as he stared at Li Pin. "You're going for the Level Two Assistant Martial Artist Title now?"

"Mm, isn't this just to fulfill the contractual obligations Director Fang signed sooner?"

Li Pin said with a smile.

"Tell me honestly, are you planning to take the Intermediate Title in half a year?"

Shanhu stared at Li Pin.

"Who knows what'll happen in half a year."

Li Pin waved a hand. "Alright, the topic we're discussing might not interest others. Let's change the subject."

"I'm interested."

Liu Yingying blinked. "The Level Two Title for martial artists carries a lot of weight. Being able to pass Level Two at such a young age is really impressive."

Meng Lingbing also stared blankly at Li Pin, as if she wanted to say something.

But recalling the awkwardness from earlier, she found it hard to speak.

Li Pin shook his head.

He didn't see any point in continuing this topic.

His original purpose in training martial arts was never to pursue fame or success, but for himself, for the great desire of life—to break through human limits, to completely overcome illness, accidents, and natural or man-made disasters.

In the future...

He also wanted to see just how powerful a creature like a human could become, and where the end of this life's cultivation truly lay.

Everything else, like money or status, was just a side benefit of that goal.

Having them was best.

If not, he wouldn't force it.

Just then, Shanhu suddenly said, "Master recently realized that the martial arts gym industry is really profitable. He should be expanding the enrollment range. How about you take charge of the gym?"

"Me? Isn't Master Yang the one in charge?"

"After the expansion, the gym will split into an inner and outer hall. The inner hall is for disciples, the outer hall for students. Master Yang will run the inner hall, and you'll run the outer hall..."

Shanhu looked Li Pin up and down.

One meter seventy-eight...

A bit short, but just right for a martial artist.

The key was that his foundation was solid. If he hired a stylist to dress him up properly...

Spirited, handsome, sunny.

The outer hall students would mostly be beginners.

Even younger boys and girls.

Who could refuse such a handsome, stylish, energetic, and good-looking gym master with a Level Two Martial Artist certification?