Understanding Multiplied, Mastery in Ten Days!

Four dishes were set on the table: a plate of sliced braised beef, a plate of twice-cooked pork, a plate of tofu, and a plate of fennel beans.

There was also a jug of cloudy wine.

Liu Chu had successfully caught a Treasure Fish and entered the martial arts hall to learn martial arts. Both men were delighted.

It was rare for them to enjoy such good food and wine on ordinary days, so today, they ate and drank to their hearts' content.

"A Chu, I have five taels of silver here. Take it. Buy more meat to nourish yourself, and it would be best if you could break through into the Grade-Entry Realm within three months."

After the wine and food were gone, Han Qi stuffed a money pouch into Liu Chu's arms.

"How could I possibly accept this..."

Liu Chu had not expected Han Qi to offer him five taels of silver before he could even ask to borrow money. He froze slightly and instinctively wanted to refuse, but then suddenly stopped.

He desperately needed money!

He had already set his goal: if he failed to enter the gate of Stake Training within seven days, he would sacrifice one year of his lifespan and ten taels of silver to increase his comprehension.

But he only had six taels of silver...

Clutching the money pouch Han Qi had given him, he wore a complicated expression, as though he wanted to speak but could not.

Over the past few years, Han Qi had helped him far too much. Every time he returned from fishing, Han Qi would be by the fish pens on shore, picking up small fish and shrimp and tossing them into Liu Chu's pen.

With Han Qi keeping others in check, the other Golden Fish Gang members turned a blind eye and did not dare meddle.

For Liu Chu to save up six taels of silver over three years, half the credit belonged to Han Qi.

"Do you remember something you once told me when we were children?"

Han Qi smiled and patted Liu Chu's shoulder. "If you become rich and honored, don't forget me!"

"I may not be rich and honored, nor can I produce twenty taels of silver to send you to a martial arts hall, but I can still manage five taels."

His gaze was earnest. "We fishermen are born lowly. Only by learning martial arts can we find a way out. If you can break through into the Grade-Entry Realm, I'll be able to bask in your glory too!"

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony!"

Gratitude showed on Liu Chu's face as he accepted the five taels of silver.

He silently engraved Han Qi's kindness in his heart.

Seven days later, at Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Hall.

"I failed again..."

Liu Chu sighed softly. "As expected, my talent is mediocre."

"Junior Brother, don't belittle yourself. Perhaps you're merely a late bloomer..."

Chen He was about to comfort him, but the moment the words left his mouth, he realized he had said the wrong thing.

Late-blooming martial artists did exist.

But someone like Liu Chu, born into a fishing household, did not have the means to be a late bloomer.

If he could not break through within three months, he would be unable to pay the tuition and could only leave the martial arts hall in disgrace. His future achievements would be limited.

His thoughts raced, and he continued consoling him. "Train hard over these three months. Even if nothing else comes of it, you can still learn a few moves and be somewhat stronger than ordinary people. You'll have one more path open to you in the future."

"Thank you for comforting me, Senior Brother. I'll continue cultivating diligently!"

Liu Chu nodded seriously, putting on an expression as though he had truly been comforted.

After spending these days together, Liu Chu had come to understand Chen He. The man had no great ambitions; after breaking through into the Grade-Entry Realm, he had become extremely lax in his training. He also enjoyed acting as a teacher.

That was why he was more than willing to come to the front courtyard and help his master instruct newcomers like them.

He was kind by nature and always wore a smile. He was polite to everyone, especially new disciples. He never showed impatience and often offered words of comfort.

Hall Master Yang Wenhuai was quite pleased with this as well. With Chen He voluntarily helping instruct the disciples, Yang Wenhuai could get more rest.

"Train slowly, Junior Brother. I'll go teach Junior Brother Xu."

After offering a few more comforting words, Chen He went to instruct Xu Haoran nearby.

"Sacrifice!"

Liu Chu finally made up his mind. He silently recited the command and took the chance to sacrifice ten taels of silver and one year of his lifespan.

At once, Liu Chu felt his chest lighten. The money pouch was completely empty, while it felt as though something had been stripped away from his body.

Then a sense of fullness spread through his entire body. The sensation was faint, nothing like the soaring bliss or unbearable agony he had imagined.

Host: Liu Chu

Comprehension multiplier increase: 1x (Can sacrifice: three Treasure Fish/thirty taels of silver, two years of lifespan)

"The sacrifice succeeded. My comprehension has doubled!"

Liu Chu let out a long breath of cloudy air, enlightenment seeming to gleam in his eyes.

But then a pang of heartache rose within him. "One year of my lifespan is gone... I must cultivate diligently. I wonder whether martial cultivation, once it reaches profound heights, can increase one's lifespan!"

The Sacrifice System was quite humane, offering Treasure Fish, silver, and lifespan as options.

Naturally, Liu Chu did not want to sacrifice his lifespan. But stuck at the bottom of society, it was difficult for him to obtain another Treasure Fish, so he could only grit his teeth and offer up his lifespan.

"Everything in this world has long since had a price tag attached. Just like that, one year of my lifespan is gone!"

Liu Chu sighed inwardly and made up his mind that unless absolutely necessary, he would never sacrifice his lifespan again!

What if he became addicted to sacrificing lifespan and, with one careless slip, sacrificed all of it? That would truly be a joke!

"The next increase in comprehension requires three Treasure Fish. There's no rush. Once I become a martial artist, I can earn some silver and buy Treasure Fish..."

For the time being, Liu Chu did not intend to make a second sacrifice.

He continued practicing Stake Training. Sure enough, the places where his previous training had been sluggish now became clear and comprehensible, and his cultivation flowed much more smoothly.

In just three short days, he entered the gate of Stake Training!

"I've finally entered the gate!"

Liu Chu's eyes gleamed brightly as joy filled his heart.

Though it had still taken ten days to enter the gate, he knew that his comprehension had already improved.

If he had started from the beginning, he could have entered the gate in seven days at most.

He opened the Attribute Panel:

Host: Liu Chu

Comprehension multiplier increase: 1x (Can sacrifice: three Treasure Fish/thirty taels of silver, two years of lifespan)

Dragon-Tiger Nourishing Practice (Entry 1%)

"Next comes breaking through into the Grade-Entry Realm!"

Liu Chu stared at the words "Entry" on the Attribute Panel, his heart surging with excitement and motivation.

"Eh? Junior Brother has entered the gate of Stake Training? Not bad, not bad. See? I told you not to lose heart. You must know that Heaven never bars every road."

When Chen He saw that Liu Chu had entered the gate of Stake Training, a flash of surprise passed through his eyes. He immediately pulled Liu Chu before the hall master.

Another person stood before the hall master, someone who had also entered the gate of Stake Training.

Liu Chu remembered that this person was Xu Haoran. Xu had entered the martial arts hall two days after him, yet had entered the gate of Stake Training two days before him.

"Eh, this kid entered the gate too?"

The hall master had been smiling as he prepared to explain the methods of Skin Refining Realm cultivation in detail to Xu Haoran. But when he saw Chen He bring Liu Chu before him as well, he was secretly surprised.

Over this period, he had occasionally guided Liu Chu's training. He had thought Liu Chu would need fifteen days to enter the gate of Stake Training, but unexpectedly, he had done so five days early.

"Fine, then listen together."

The hall master did not think much of it. He had the two stand before him and began explaining the detailed cultivation of Skin Refining Realm. "The so-called external training of sinews, bones, and skin is in fact using external Stake Training—such as Dragon-Tiger Nourishing Practice—to nurture Blood Vitality, then using that Blood Vitality to scour the sinews, bones, and skin..."

Next, he taught them how to sense the power of Blood Vitality. "After entering the gate of Stake Training, if you sense carefully while cultivating, you can detect a vague power of Blood Vitality. The deeper your Stake Training, the stronger that sensation becomes."

"And what we need to do is consciously guide this Blood Vitality to scour the skin membrane and break through into the Grade-Entry Realm!"

"The progress of Dragon-Tiger Nourishing Practice determines the strength of one's Blood Vitality. At Entry, there is one strand of Blood Vitality. At Minor Accomplishment Realm, it can be nurtured to two strands. At Great Accomplishment Realm, there are four strands, and at perfection, eight..."

"In other words, if one cultivates it to perfection, one can mobilize eight strands of Blood Vitality to scour the skin membrane?"

Xu Haoran's eyes lit up as he asked respectfully.

"Correct. But cultivating an external Stake Training technique to perfection is far too difficult. Don't think too much about it. Reaching Minor Accomplishment Realm would already be quite good."

The hall master shook his head. "I have cultivated this technique for most of my life, and I have only reached Great Accomplishment Realm. I have yet to attain perfection!"

"It's that difficult!"

The brightness in Xu Haoran's eyes immediately dimmed.

Yet Liu Chu fell into thought. If my comprehension increases several more times, perhaps I may have hope of cultivating this technique to perfection...

"Alright, the cultivation method has been explained. Next, I'll teach you the art of killing!"

The hall master rose from his grandmaster's chair, killing intent radiating from his eyes.

"The art of killing!"

Xu Haoran and Liu Chu were both startled, anticipation appearing on their faces.