A Permanent Genius State

"I'm a little short on money..."

In Xianyun County, dozens of kilometers from Yanggu County, Fang Can rented a room at an inn late at night. Looking at the three taels of silver he had left, he fell into deep thought.

By the purchasing power of this world, three taels of silver would last an ordinary person nearly half a month if they lived frugally.

But for someone like him, who had no fixed home and wandered everywhere, it wasn't enough to cover even a few days of lodging and meals.

"I should've brought some gold with me when I crossed over. Who knows when I'll be able to go back?" Fang Can sighed and flopped onto the bed in his room, taking a stack of receipts from inside his robe.

These were the pledges of allegiance to the Tiger Fiend Sect from the various powers within a hundred-mile radius. Every month, he could use them to collect protection money from the martial halls.

Fang Can flipped through the receipts, marking down which powers he'd visit next according to the map in his mind.

Based on the dates when the money was due, Fang Can picked out the receipts for the Blazing Sun Martial Hall, the Green Smoke Pavilion, and the Black Stone Gambling Den.

As long as he showed up with the receipts, he could collect at least three hundred taels tomorrow. That would free him from worrying about money for a year. After that, he could take the money and make himself scarce, wandering the world to his heart's content.

"I heard Senior Jiang's Tribulation Sword Mountain is somewhere in Liang Province. That's a bit far away. Should I go seek her out?"

Fang Can lounged on the bed with one leg crossed over the other, letting his mind wander wherever it pleased.

But when he recalled that she had recommended he undergo the Egg-Replacing Period surgery, he instinctively dismissed the idea.

He gazed through the window at the scattered stars. Gradually, his consciousness grew hazy, and he drifted off to sleep.

Fang Can had only dozed for two hours in his inn room when a chill rose from the back of his head.

In almost an instant, the all-too-familiar sensation made him spring up. He gripped the Longquan Treasure Sword leaning nearby and scanned his surroundings like a startled Hajimi.

Fang Can knew this icy sensation very well. His talent, Extreme Misfortune Brings Prosperity, was acting up. That meant someone lurking in the shadows was definitely trying to harm him.

"Where's the enemy?" Fang Can searched the area, drawing his sword and looking around in bewilderment.

Once he'd calmed down, he sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes, sensing the changes brought on by Extreme Misfortune Brings Prosperity.

He realized that his ability had indeed been triggered, but unlike before, when it released its power in a short, intense burst, this time it was steadily keeping his aptitude elevated.

"Does Extreme Misfortune Brings Prosperity think that whatever's lurking in the shadows could threaten me, but probably won't cause me much trouble, so it's given my aptitude a small boost as a token gesture?" Fang Can guessed.

Comparing the figures on his status panel, Fang Can found that while taking Arsenic had multiplied his aptitude dozens of times, his current aptitude was holding at about three times its normal level—roughly the kind of minor danger that might make him trip while walking.

The increase was small, but it was stable. With his aptitude at three times its normal level, he was in a little genius state every moment.

Since his ability had judged the danger to be fairly minor, Fang Can decided not to worry about it. After all, having someone who posed little threat to him keep watch while his aptitude improved for free wasn't a bad deal.

If the person really showed up, he'd just crush them on the spot.

He looked up at the sky outside. It was only just beginning to grow light, and the faint sunlight fell on him, steadily charging his cells.

He was wide awake now, so he simply grabbed his luggage and set out to collect what he was owed. Naturally, his first stop would be the Blazing Sun Martial Hall, the closest place to him.

With a long sword on his back and short hair, Fang Can passed through the early-morning crowds. Ever since he'd left the Tiger Fiend Sect, there had been far fewer martial artists around.

Of the eighty or ninety people he passed, only a handful had steady steps and vigorous auras. He hadn't seen a single person who had passed the First Mysterious Barrier.

After all, martial arts required Idealism. Even a gifted martial artist had to train hard for two years just to barely reach the first level of the Mysterious Pass.

But that level wasn't stable. It could rise or fall depending on one's state of mind.

Most people practiced martial arts to rise above their station.

But after spending all day working hard in the fields and being berated by their boss, they'd build up a bellyful of anger. Even if they disciplined themselves at night, their deeply troubled state of mind would only hinder their training, making it twice as hard for half the results.

So unless someone came from a wealthy family, they wouldn't even have the chance to practice martial arts. When life left you bitter and frustrated, crossing the martial arts barrier was a struggle.

With the morning glow shining on him, Fang Can arrived at the gate of the Blazing Sun Martial Hall. He looked up at the forceful characters carved on the plaque and nodded slightly.

"May I ask what brings you to the Blazing Sun Martial Hall, brother?" the guard at the entrance asked, stepping forward.

As he spoke, he sized Fang Can up. Neither his clothes nor the sword on his back looked ordinary, so the guard spoke with extra courtesy.

Fang Can didn't waste time. He took out a receipt and showed it to him. "I'm from the Tiger Fiend Sect."

At the mention of the Tiger Fiend Sect, the guard's already respectful tone grew even more deferential. He bowed and cupped his hands.

"Please wait, honored guest. I'll go inform the hall master right away."

Watching the guard hurry off to deliver the message, Fang Can thought his reaction was a bit over the top.

Then another guard grabbed a chair and set it behind Fang Can, smiling obsequiously. "Please have a seat, honored guest. He'll be back before even one incense stick burns down."

Fang Can: "...Oh, thank you."

The guard waved his hands, flattered. "You're too kind, honored guest. It's only what we should do."

Inside the martial hall, the guard who had gone to deliver the message jogged into the meeting hall and reported to the current hall master, Ye Yonglie. "Reporting to the hall master: the Tiger Fiend Sect is here to collect the rent."

"Oh?" Ye Yonglie, who had only recently gotten up, tilted his head in confusion. "Why are they here so early today? Don't they usually come at dusk?"

"I'm not sure. And unlike the disciples who came before, this time it's a new disciple I've never seen."

"A new disciple?" Ye Yonglie furrowed his brow. "Did he say how much he wants to collect this time? Five hundred taels or a thousand?"

"He didn't say." The guard scratched his head. "But he looks young, probably fresh out of the Martial Arts Hall with little experience. Maybe he won't ask for as much."

"Hard to say." Ye Yonglie felt the situation was difficult to handle. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Invite him in first."

"Yes, sir."

Watching the guard hurry out, Ye Yonglie sat patiently in the Grandmaster Chair and waited.

He didn't have to wait long. As soon as a proud-looking young man entered, escorted by the guards, Yonglie hurried over to greet him.

"Truly, heroes emerge in youth. I'm Ye Yonglie, the current Blazing Sun Hall Master. It's a pleasure to meet another talented young man from the Tiger Fiend Sect. May I ask your name?"

"You can call me Fang Can. You know why I'm here." Fang Can smiled and took a receipt from his pocket.

"Of course, of course." Ye Yonglie smiled as he took out a money pouch and pressed it into Fang Can's hand. "This is just a small token of my appreciation."