Late Bloomer Destiny? But I'm a Genius!

Twenty minutes passed in a flash.

Jiang Ping and the others stood silently on the Training Ground, each one ramrod straight and brimming with energy.

Head Escort Liang stood before them and said:

"Our Escort Agency's Nourishing Life Technique consists of eighty-one movements. When practicing, you must coordinate them with the knack of breathing and circulation. Its hallmark is slowness rather than speed, but it places a heavy drain on the body. That is why it is best practiced after meals, so you can absorb the essence of beef and rice to the fullest."

"Therefore, after practicing, you must eat meat—beef is best. Otherwise, if your food cannot keep up with your training, you will only get half the result for twice the effort."

"Now I will demonstrate this set of Nourishing Life Technique in detail. Watch carefully and learn well!"

With that, the Head Escort began his demonstration.

His movements were slow, yet they carried the feeling of flowing clouds and running water.

At the same time, as he demonstrated, Liang Sheng also taught them the knack of breathing and circulation.

The Pre-Escorts naturally widened their eyes, staring without blinking and desperately committing everything to memory. Even their breathing unconsciously slowed.

A full fifteen minutes passed before Liang Sheng stopped. His gaze swept over the crowd. "Did you remember it? Who will come forward and demonstrate it once?"

Silence filled the Training Ground.

This Nourishing Life Technique had eighty-one movements, and each had to be coordinated with breathing and circulation. Unless one was exceptionally gifted and possessed a photographic memory, how could they possibly memorize it all after seeing it once?

Just as everyone hesitated, afraid of making fools of themselves, a voice rang out. "I'll do it!"

Jiang Ping looked over and saw that it was Qian Dele, his dormmate.

With a serious expression, Qian Dele stepped forward and began to demonstrate.

"Did he really remember everything?" Luo Tiegen asked in astonishment.

"Probably not." Jiang Ping shook his head.

Luo Tiegen breathed a sigh of relief, then looked puzzled. "Then why would Brother Qian dare to demonstrate it?"

"He probably wants the Head Escort to correct his mistakes through the demonstration. This is actually an opportunity to receive individual guidance."

No sooner had Jiang Ping spoken than the Head Escort began berating Qian Dele while correcting his movements.

After Liang Sheng's guidance, everyone realized that the movements of this Top Five finisher in the Fist Force test were beginning to look convincing.

"If I'd known, I would've gone too." Luo Tiegen, who could not remember the movements clearly, felt rather regretful.

Coming back to himself, he lowered his voice and asked Jiang Ping, "Since Brother Jiang knew he would receive guidance, why didn't you go up?"

"Because I got it on credit."

Naturally, Jiang Ping did not dare say that aloud.

Though there was little expression on his face, inwardly he was already so excited he could barely contain himself.

Just now, after the Head Escort finished demonstrating the Nourishing Life Technique, golden light had flashed through Jiang Ping's mind.

A golden seal engraved with the words "Late Bloomer" had abruptly appeared in his mind.

[Destiny: Late Bloomer]

[Attribute: Unyielding perseverance, success is inevitable]

This Destiny might not allow Jiang Ping to break through as swiftly as a genius, but its ability foretold that his fate would be rewritten from this day onward!

"Unyielding perseverance, success is inevitable!" This meant that as long as Jiang Ping continued training diligently, he would certainly be able to practice the Nourishing Life Technique to Great Accomplishment and become a martial artist.

Likewise, with the blessing of his Destiny, he had already memorized the key points and movements of the Nourishing Life Technique by heart.

All that remained was to accumulate through sweat, and his qi and blood would naturally arise!

Thus, he gave up the opportunity to receive the Head Escort's guidance.

Training Ground.

As time passed, everyone noticed that Qian Dele's movements were becoming increasingly standard, and many of them came to their senses.

This was clearly a wonderful opportunity for individual guidance, yet they had missed it.

When Qian Dele finished the entire set of movements, everyone craned their necks in anticipation, hoping the Head Escort would choose another person to come forward and demonstrate.

But Liang Sheng gave them no further chance and said directly:

"I'll demonstrate it once more. You all will practice along with my movements."

Hearing this, everyone inwardly sighed at the missed chance. Qian Dele, however, walked back toward the crowd with a smug look on his face.

It was only a set of movements, but he had learned it first. This was where the gap began.

"Brother Qian is so clever!" His old friend Sun Zheng gave him a thumbs-up, proud of his friend.

The more outstanding Qian Dele became, the more Sun Zheng, as his friend, could bask in his reflected glory—and perhaps even have him give him some private lessons.

Buzz!

As everyone began practicing the Nourishing Life Technique, something flickered before Jiang Ping's eyes. A line of words appeared upon his Purple-Gold Fate, as though carved into it.

[Nourishing Life Technique First Level (0/100): Practice ten times daily, and it will be achieved in ten days.]

"His Destiny had begun to take effect!"

Jiang Ping was delighted.

He then steadied his mind. As he practiced the technique, he recalled the key tips Head Escort Liang had explained.

But as he continued practicing, Jiang Ping noticed something was wrong.

[Nourishing Life Technique First Level (1/100)]

[Nourishing Life Technique First Level (2/100)]

[...]

He discovered that the number was continuously increasing, completely at odds with the stated effect.

More precisely, the rate of growth was absurdly fast.

By the time he finished one set of movements, his proficiency had risen from 0 to 9.

Something was wrong. Very wrong!

According to what his Destiny said, he needed to practice ten times a day and would succeed in ten days.

Broken down, each practice should raise his proficiency by one point.

Yet he had only performed it for the first time. How had it already risen to 9?

At that moment, Head Escort Liang stopped and told everyone to practice a second time on their own.

Jiang Ping immediately threw himself into it.

He wanted to see whether there was something wrong with his Destiny, or something wrong with himself.

[Nourishing Life Technique First Level (10/100)]

[Nourishing Life Technique First Level (11/100)]

[...]

"What useless trash! I explained it in detail three times, yet you got four of the first ten movements wrong?"

On the Training Ground, as everyone practiced the Nourishing Life Technique for the second time, Head Escort Liang's curses rang out as well.

He pointed at a young man and roared, looking as though he hated iron for failing to become steel.

As he cursed, the Head Escort lightly pressed the man's shoulder. The man immediately lost his balance, swayed, staggered, and nearly toppled over, drawing a burst of laughter from the crowd.

"Is that funny?"

Head Escort Liang stared at them coldly.

"You think your own movements are standard? You think you can train effectively?"

"You are all fools, no different from him. You make mistakes without even realizing them, yet you still have the leisure to laugh at someone else."

"Laugh, then. Go on, laugh."

"When the half-year period is over and you fail to meet the Escort Agency's requirements and are eliminated, we'll see who among you can still laugh."

Hearing this, everyone wiped the smiles from their faces and practiced the technique seriously.

Yet the Head Escort did not stop talking.

"But you needn't worry. Many people will be eliminated, but some will enter our Escort Agency, become escorts, and earn mountains of silver."

"Because after just these few rounds, several people have already memorized everything, and their movements are very standard."

As he spoke, Liang Sheng's gaze lingered briefly on Qian Dele, Liu Wensheng—another Top Five finisher in the Fist Force test—and several others.

He continued, "These people have all been extremely attentive and have never let their minds wander. That is the gap—a gap revealed in merely a few moments."

"In the future, you will watch them raise High Rises and feast their Guests, only to regret it when your own building collapses."

The Training Ground fell silent. Everyone felt the pressure, even a sense of urgency.

Most of them still needed the Head Escort to correct their mistakes, while some had already completely mastered the essentials of the movements.

One step slow, every step slow. That was how the gap came to be.

With the Head Escort cursing and instructing them at the same time, everyone finally completed the second practice.

However, many wore rather miserable expressions. They still had not memorized all the movements. Some were even told by the Head Escort that half of the eighty-one movements were wrong, their faces turning extremely unpleasant.

At that moment, Qian Dele, whom everyone regarded as one of the outstanding ones, suddenly asked:

"Master Liang, how do we count as having entered the discipline and reached the First Level?"

Look at him. Not only did he know how to speak well, he no longer called him Head Escort and had begun to show respect for his master and his teachings.

Moreover, his attention was no longer on the movements. Instead, he was concerned with the effects after mastering the technique.

Jiang Ping, who had been pondering his own situation, could not help but prick up his ears as well.

Head Escort Liang answered, "When your Fist Force increases by twenty jin, you have mastered the First Level. Another increase of forty jin makes the Second Level. Once you comprehend the Fourth Level, your Fist Force can increase by a hundred jin. At that point, you will be different from ordinary people; even several times your number will not be able to defeat you."

"Then how do we know whether we have mastered the First Level?" Qian Dele asked again.

"Once you can sense the circulation of qi and blood within your body, you have reached the First Level. As the Nourishing Life Technique deepens, your qi and blood will gradually strengthen. When it reaches a critical point and suddenly surges, it can be regarded as your cultivation breaking through another level. This repeats until the Seventh Layer undergoes a qualitative transformation."

"However, changes in qi and blood within the body are difficult for outsiders to detect. That is why I must record your Fist Force at intervals, lest anyone falsely report their cultivation progress."

"Thank you, Master Liang, for clearing up my doubts." Qian Dele clasped his fists and bowed.

Head Escort Liang nodded, then fixed his gaze on everyone. "See that? This is the gap between people. While you are still correcting your movements..."

After swallowing the Head Escort's bowl of chicken blood, everyone began practicing for the third time.

Not long into the practice, Jiang Ping once again observed a change in the Nourishing Life Technique:

[Nourishing Life Technique First Level (17→18/100)]

After finishing the second practice, his proficiency had risen from 9 to 17. The third practice had only just begun, yet the number was once again increasing at an absurd rate.

At this point, he more or less understood his situation.

He seemed to be a genius?!

At the same time, this indirectly confirmed something: his ability to memorize the Head Escort's demonstrated movements at a glance had not seemed to be the work of his Destiny. He truly was exceptionally gifted!

But!

But he was already exceptionally gifted, so what the hell was with awakening a "Late Bloomer" Destiny?