Friendship Gathering

However, Jiang Ping was now penniless. Where would he find the money to exchange for a Stance Technique?

"So, cultivating quickly is a good thing, but if I want to keep growing stronger without end, I still need to make money as soon as possible."

His brows furrowed slightly as he pondered ways to make money.

"I've sensed Blood Qi!"

At that moment, a delighted cry that drowned out the entire Training Ground rang out, interrupting Jiang Ping's train of thought.

He followed the sound and discovered that it was his roommate, Luo Tiegen.

This man, like Sun Zheng, was sharing the joy of his breakthrough with those around him.

In truth, because Qian Dele, Sun Qi, and the others had fully demonstrated the importance of nutritious food.

After yesterday's test, most people had chosen to pay for double portions of meat. By now, quite a few had gotten their wish and entered the Entry Level of the technique. Luo Tiegen was one of them.

Of course, while double portions of nutritious food were immensely beneficial to the Martial Dao, it still varied from person to person. Some people ate double portions yet still failed to enter the Entry Level.

Luo Da Niu was one such person. He had failed to enter the Entry Level, and the look he gave Luo Tiegen was complicated, tinged with envy.

"Congratulations, Brother Tiegen. You've reached the same progress as me." Sun Zheng, who thought highly of Luo Tiegen, was the first to offer his congratulations.

Luo Tiegen responded smugly, taking a long while to calm down from his excitement.

But before he was done, he did not forget to call out to Jiang Ping.

"Brother Jiang, I broke through! I've caught up with you!"

Jiang Ping said nothing. Ever since he had ranked fifth, this person had been calling him "Brother" at every turn. He had not expected that the moment Luo Tiegen entered the Entry Level, even the form of address would change.

Of course, Jiang Ping did not care what the other man called him.

Then, Jiang Ping set his thoughts aside and focused on his own cultivation.

The Training Ground gradually fell quiet again, leaving only the rising and falling sound of heavy breathing.

Night arrived swiftly.

After three training sessions a day, Jiang Ping was drenched in sweat and had reached the "Sage Time" of his final session.

He did not grit his teeth and persist. After greeting Liu Wensheng, who often came to talk to him, he chose to return to the dormitory and rest.

On the way, Jiang Ping panted heavily while pondering inwardly.

"My progress has slowed."

Double portions of nutritious food had indeed accelerated Jiang Ping's cultivation, but each layer of the Nourishing Life Technique was harder to cultivate than the last. He had also just made a breakthrough, so naturally his speed was much slower than yesterday's.

Thus, his cultivation progress today was no longer as astonishingly fast as before.

"The Nourishing Life Technique truly lives up to its reputation. The Destiny says it takes half a year to complete, which shows just how difficult this technique is. And this is only the Fifth Layer!"

"But then again."

This slowness was only relative to Jiang Ping's previous cultivation progress.

Estimating it overall, in less than two days, he could still advance the technique another step.

This was talent!

Before long, Jiang Ping returned to the dormitory. A moment later, he came back out carrying a towel.

More than half an hour later.

Jiang Ping returned from the bathhouse with a flushed face, only to discover that three people had returned to the dormitory early.

They were Qian Dele, Sun Zheng, and Luo Tiegen.

They were also the only people in the entire dormitory besides Jiang Ping who had entered the Entry Level of the Nourishing Life Technique.

The three had somehow acquired a low table and were sitting around it on the floor. Several plates of meat dishes and several jugs of wine had been placed on the tabletop.

"Brother Jiang." Luo Tiegen greeted him as usual, seeming not to hold a grudge.

Sun Zheng merely cast him a cold glance, then smiled and began chatting with Qian Dele about the sensational event from earlier. It turned out Sun Qi had broken through to the Second Level of the Nourishing Life Technique at an astonishing speed, shocking the entire Training Ground.

Jiang Ping raised his brows involuntarily when he heard that, somewhat surprised.

Could that Sun Qi really be someone remarkable? Otherwise, why was it that just as he made some progress, that fellow could also break through and actually master the Second Level?

"Sure enough, heroes under heaven are as countless as crucian carp crossing a river. I cannot look down on anyone."

Jiang Ping thought to himself, warning himself not to think too highly of himself. There was always someone greater beyond every man.

Across from him, Sun Zheng noticed Jiang Ping's expression and became even more animated.

But Jiang Ping quickly composed himself. Without asking about the three men's dinner gathering, he walked straight toward his bed without looking sideways.

Just as he was about to climb onto the bed, he heard a clamor outside the dormitory, drawing ever closer.

When Jiang Ping glanced over, three or four people had already arrived together at the doorway.

By coincidence, the newcomers were precisely Sun Qi, whom Sun Zheng had just mentioned, along with three others who had also entered the Entry Level of the Nourishing Life Technique. Jiang Ping recognized all of them somewhat; their Fist Force rankings were all within the top ten.

"Brother Sun Qi, brothers, you've come."

Seeing the arrivals, the three seated men all rose to welcome them. Sun Zheng in particular was exceptionally excited.

Sun Zheng eagerly ushered Sun Qi to the main seat. The others sat down in turn, and after a round of solemn introductions, they began pouring wine and eating meat.

Lying on his bed, Jiang Ping finally understood. This was a Friendship Gathering.

But it had nothing to do with him. With Qian Dele and Sun Zheng present, how could they possibly invite him?

Jiang Ping closed his eyes and thought about the Stance Technique.

But whenever men gathered for a meal and got carried away talking, their voices became like a battlefield, as noisy as could be.

Jiang Ping's train of thought was interrupted several times. He even suspected that Qian Dele had deliberately chosen this dormitory for the Friendship Gathering just to disgust him. Sun Zheng in particular had the loudest voice.

Of course, as long as they did not rub it directly in his face, Jiang Ping could endure it. Young men gathering for a meal were bound to become boisterous, and he was willing to be tolerant.

Below.

Their topic shifted again and again before turning to the Martial Dao.

"By the way, congratulations to Brother Qi for stepping into the Second Level of the Nourishing Life Technique. You're the strongest among our hundred people. Tiegen offers you a bowl of wine." Luo Tiegen enthusiastically lifted his bowl, saying with a cheerful smile.

Sun Qi looked somewhat proud, though his words remained modest. "Not at all, not at all. I've merely eaten one more portion of nutritious food than you all."

"Three portions of nutritious food can bring such speed? It's making me want to spend money on another portion of beef myself," Qian Dele said.

Only then did Jiang Ping, lying above, understand why Sun Qi's breakthrough had been so fast. He had already begun eating three portions of nutritious food.

"If only I could..." Jiang Ping thought, then sighed inwardly. If those Eight Taels of Silver were still with him, he would not be in such straits.

Of course, fate worked in mysterious ways. Had it not been for those eight taels of silver, he would not have left home in disappointment, nor would he have discovered his talent for the Martial Dao so quickly.

"It varies from person to person."

Sun Zheng's voice rang out. He curled his lip. "Nutritious food is certainly beneficial to the Martial Dao, but whether one can master it depends on oneself. Take Brother Tiegen's two fellow villagers and the others in this dormitory. They also ate double portions of nutritious food, yet there has been no sign of progress from them even now. The path of Martial Dao still depends on talent. Those people simply have terrible talent."

"That's not wrong."

The voice came not from their group, but from the doorway.

The other roommates had returned as well. The speaker was Luo Da Niu, though his expression was somewhat unnatural. The other roommates wore varying expressions too. Clearly, they had heard Sun Zheng's insulting words.

"Da Niu, come eat something?" Seeing his fellow villager's expression, Luo Tiegen hurriedly waved him over. Da Niu shook his head and politely declined.

He naturally knew that this gathering had requirements. They had all entered the Entry Level of the Nourishing Life Technique. How could someone like him, who had yet to enter the Entry Level, be qualified to sit at the table?

"By the way, speaking of Peony Lane..." Tiegen wanted to change the subject, but before he could finish, he was interrupted again. Sun Zheng grew more and more animated. Seven out of every ten sentences praised Sun Qi, while the other three used poor students like Da Niu as comparisons, utterly disregarding the occasion.

Da Niu and the others did not react much. They silently took their towels and walked out of the dormitory.

Luo Da Niu understood clearly in his heart that these people looked down on them. Otherwise, why would they not stop Sun Zheng from gossiping about them to their faces?