Verbal Spat

That afternoon, after Sun Qi entered the Nourishing Life Technique, another person sensed their qi and blood.

Everyone trained even harder, and not a single person stopped to rest until dinner.

The only possible exception was Jiang Ping.

Jiang Ping had actually wanted to blend into this diligent atmosphere as well, but his training was too effective and consumed too much energy. He simply had no strength left.

After dinner, two more people entered the Nourishing Life Technique, leaving quite a few others envious and jealous.

Jiang Ping, however, noticed something.

Everyone who had entered the Nourishing Life Technique had been eating two portions of beef these past few days.

Head Escort Liang was right. Martial arts training must be nourished through food; nutritious food is extremely important. Tomorrow's Fist Force test—I must make it into the Top Five.

Jiang Ping silently made up his mind.

That night, after practicing the Nourishing Life Technique four times, Jiang Ping, exhausted beyond measure, stopped training right on schedule.

At that moment, another person entered the Nourishing Life Technique. It was Liu Wensheng, who had spoken to him that afternoon.

"Congratulations."

Jiang Ping offered his congratulations, then turned and left.

"You're not training anymore?" Liu Wensheng had been feeling rather pleased with himself when he noticed that Jiang Ping, that Little Frog, was actually heading back to the dormitory. It had not even been an hour since dinner.

Didn't the other man feel any pressure?

In truth, Jiang Ping did feel some pressure. The Nourishing Life Technique did not seem as difficult to cultivate as the rumors claimed. In just three days, several people had already entered it.

[Nourishing Life Technique, Third Layer (98/100)]

But when he glanced at his Destiny, the pressure he felt from the others' breakthroughs immediately faded somewhat.

Good, good. I'm not bad either. I'll reach the Third Layer soon.

Once I eat double portions of beef tomorrow, my cultivation progress should speed up even more.

Not long after.

Jiang Ping returned to the dormitory, washed up a little, and lay directly on his bed. The day's exhaustion slowly closed his eyes.

But a little over an hour later, Jiang Ping's closed eyes began to twitch faintly.

By then, the others in the dormitory had mostly returned and begun chatting.

"Wasn't the Nourishing Life Technique supposed to be difficult? How come four or five people entered it after only three days?" Luo Tiegen voiced his confusion. He had trained bitterly for three days, yet there had not been the slightest sign of progress.

"Who knows? That's what the Escort Agency servants said. Or maybe these people are simply very talented in martial arts." A trace of jealousy flashed through Sun Zheng's eyes. He had gotten off to a slow start and had been among the last group to memorize the movements.

"Not talent!"

At that moment, a voice came from outside. It was Qian Dele, the last one to return to the dormitory.

"Brother Qian, where did you go after bathing? I was looking for you." Sun Zheng went up to greet him, somewhat puzzled.

"I went to the Outer Courtyard to pay my respects to Head Escort Liang." Qian Dele smiled mysteriously.

"Oh?" Luo Da Niu raised a brow and glanced at him. That Head Escort was an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist—was he someone Pre-Escorts like them, who had not even entered the ranks, could simply visit?

Then Qian Dele said:

"Head Escort Liang told me that the Nourishing Life Technique really is difficult to train. The reason several people have been able to enter it within just a few days is mainly due to two reasons."

"First, we were all born poor. Since childhood, we have done chores, chopped firewood, and worked as laborers. That was itself a form of physical training. Second, we must nourish training through food. Nutritious food is very important for martial arts. Haven't you noticed? Those who entered it are all people who chose to eat two portions of beef from the beginning."

"So that's how it is. Then they entered so quickly not because of talent?" Luo Tiegen let out a breath of relief.

"Not entirely. Head Escort Liang also told me that entering the Nourishing Life Technique is not actually difficult. The real difference in talent only appears as one goes further. Whether someone has talent requires long-term observation. Being ahead on the first level is nothing." Qian Dele relayed the Head Escort's words, then added, "Whether you have talent or not, nutritious food is important if you want to master the Nourishing Life Technique's Fourth Level, or even become a Martial Artist. I suggest that from now on, you eat two portions of meat every meal so that you can enter it quickly."

Everyone nodded. From those who had entered it by eating two portions of meat, they could see the benefits of nutritious food to the Martial Dao.

However.

"One portion of beef costs ten coins. That's thirty coins a day. Over time, how much silver would that cost?" Sun Zheng looked miserably at his old friend.

The others also revealed helpless expressions. It would be fine if they became escorts, but if they failed and were kicked out of the Escort Agency, wouldn't all that money have been spent for nothing?

Qian Dele shrugged, neither confirming nor denying it. However, his Fist Force ranked in the Top Five, so he did not need to worry about money for the time being.

Luo Da Niu seemed thoughtful as he asked, "Brother Qian, have you already entered it?"

At those words, everyone turned their eyes toward Qian Dele.

They saw him puff out his chest and nod with a solemn expression.

"What! Brother Qian entered it?" Sun Zheng's delighted cry drowned out everyone else. Jiang Ping's eyelids, as he lay on his bed, suddenly twitched.

Luo Da Niu was surprised as well, but then he understood. Qian Dele had certainly not gone to see the Head Escort merely to ask how difficult the Nourishing Life Technique was. He had gone to tell the Head Escort the good news of his breakthrough, using that "good news" to draw closer to him.

But would an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist really think highly of a farmer trying to curry favor after merely breaking through the first level?

Of course, that was not something Luo Da Niu needed to consider. This man was feeling quite proud right now.

"No need to get excited. It's only natural, only natural. If they could enter it, how could I fall behind them?" Qian Dele said with a smile.

"Of course. Brother Qian was the first among our Hundred People to learn the Nourishing Life Technique. How could you possibly fail to break through? In the future, you'll definitely be the first to break through to the Second Level."

Luo Tiegen's voice rang out.

Though Jiang Ping was still in a daze, he could already imagine Luo Tiegen's fawning expression from his voice alone.

Afterward, several of them asked Qian Dele about what it had been like to sense his qi and blood. Qian Dele answered each question in turn. It seemed as though he was satisfying everyone's curiosity, but there was also a hint of showing off in it.

As the conversation neared its end, Sun Zheng once again asked everyone one by one about their cultivation progress.

It seemed that he intended to make this a "tradition" of the dormitory.

Everyone answered truthfully. None of them showed any signs of breaking through.

"We're not Brother Qian. How could we be so fast? Let's sleep. Tomorrow is the second Fist Force test, and it'll be Brother Qian's time to shine again," Luo Tiegen said enviously.

"Sleep, sleep."

Luo Da Niu was about to extinguish the candle when Sun Zheng stopped him.

"Wait. There's still one person we haven't asked."

"Hm?" Luo Da Niu was somewhat puzzled, then raised his brows slightly.

Sun Zheng stepped onto his own bed and stretched out his body, clearly about to make his next move.

"Why not ask tomorrow? Brother Jiang is asleep. Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Luo Da Niu helplessly tried to persuade him.

Waking up a dormmate just to ask about his martial arts progress was going too far.

Yet Sun Zheng did not stop. He reached out with one hand and shook Jiang Ping hard.

Jiang Ping, who had been half-asleep, instantly woke up seven-tenths of the way. His eyes slowly opened.

But there was none of the confusion of someone just awakened in his gaze. His eyes were filled only with coldness.

In his daze, he had heard every word of their conversation. He also knew exactly why Sun Zheng had the nerve to wake him today.

Jiang Ping sat on the bed, twisting his body to loosen his muscles and bones.

At the bedside, Sun Zheng spoke without the slightest hint of apology. "Hey, how's your training going?"

Jiang Ping did not answer at once. He was still moving his body.

Below, seeing that Jiang Ping showed no reaction, Luo Da Niu assumed he was easygoing and not angry. He quietly let out a breath of relief.

But the next moment.

Jiang Ping suddenly struck, snapping out a solid slap with ruthless decisiveness.

Slap!

The crisp sound rang out instantly. Sun Zheng cried out "Ow!" on instinct, then staggered toward the floor.

Luckily, he caught hold of the bed frame and avoided falling. Still, his legs trembled where he stood, fear in his eyes.

If he had fallen, he would definitely have broken a bone. Leaving aside the injury itself, it would likely have delayed his martial arts progress.

Especially since his left cheek was still burning with pain.

At that thought, Sun Zheng's face twisted with fury as he stared at Jiang Ping and shrieked, "You dare hit me?"