As he watched the glossy ointment on the massage therapist's fingertips, Chen Mochuan suddenly remembered some reports he had once seen online. He immediately grew wary, his body tensing slightly.
The middle-aged massage therapist, who had spent years in the service industry, was highly experienced and kept a close eye on his clients. Noticing that something seemed wrong, he guessed there might have been a misunderstanding and hurried to explain:
"Sir, don't worry. This is an ointment that relaxes the muscles and promotes circulation. It's especially effective at relieving muscle fatigue after high-intensity training like yours. I specifically asked the front desk just now and learned that you practiced the forceful Tiger Fiend Fist this morning. Your arms and shoulders took the heaviest load, so using this will help you recover much faster."
Then he added, his tone candid and reassuring:
"I checked your membership service record and saw that this is your first massage. Please rest assured: Mingxin is a long-established name in Antu City. Unlike some other martial arts halls that chase short-term profits, we promise there are no hidden charges. This ointment is also included in the free services for Gold Members."
After hearing the therapist's explanation, Chen Mochuan finally relaxed completely. At the same time, he couldn't help being surprised by the man's thoughtfulness. He had even gone out of his way to find out what technique Chen Mochuan practiced.
Seeing his surprise, the therapist smiled as he evenly spread the ointment over Chen Mochuan's arms and shoulder blades.
"Mingxin became Antu's best martial arts hall because we put this much care into our members. You're one of our most esteemed Gold Members, so it's only right that you receive the most comprehensive service."
Chen Mochuan understood.
He knew Mingxin was one of the city's long-established martial arts halls and a benchmark in the industry. But in recent years, martial arts halls had sprung up across Antu like bamboo shoots after rain. Several of them provided exceptional membership services and were steadily eating into the high-end market, seriously threatening Mingxin's leading position.
That competitive pressure had instead forced Mingxin to raise its service standards considerably and do everything possible to retain every existing member.
As a consumer, Chen Mochuan was naturally glad to see it.
Once the ointment had been evenly applied, the therapist used professional techniques to focus on the relevant areas.
Before long, Chen Mochuan felt a comfortable warmth spreading through the areas of his arms and shoulders covered in ointment.
The muscles that had felt heavy and sore from exerting too much force seemed to be wrapped in a stream of warmth. They gradually loosened and relaxed.
Seeing how effective the ointment was, Chen Mochuan asked what it was called. When he learned it was Shulu Powder, he couldn't help clicking his tongue in amazement.
He remembered seeing it in the martial arts section of a supermarket. One bottle cost over two thousand yuan, and the amount the therapist had used on him just now must have been worth around a hundred yuan.
But when he thought of the Gold Member's hefty annual fee, he accepted it. You got what you paid for. Even if he came here every day for a free massage and a dose of Shulu Powder, Mingxin would still be making a profit.
If Li Biao hadn't given him the membership card, his family's finances would never have allowed him to sign up for such a high-end membership.
As the massage continued, the warmth grew more pronounced, and threads of heat seemed to seep deep into his muscles.
Even more astonishingly, he could faintly feel that his arms had grown a little stronger.
The message that appeared on the light screen panel moments later confirmed it wasn't just his imagination.
[You received professional therapy and medicinal nourishment. Your blood-qi was stimulated, improving your physical constitution.] [Blood-Qi Value: 3.19→3.20]
The result was far beyond Chen Mochuan's expectations. This was the first time he had ever gained blood-qi while "lying down."
After thinking it over briefly and recalling some of the principles mentioned in his Martial Arts General Knowledge textbook, he roughly understood why:
High-intensity training caused microscopic damage to the body and consumed large amounts of blood-qi, creating a brief state of "blood-qi depletion."
But this kind of extreme exercise also stimulated the body's potential.
At that point, if he supplemented it with a highly penetrative ointment like Shulu Powder and professional massage to guide the process, his body could absorb the medicine more efficiently and replenish the "deficit," resulting in a net gain in blood-qi.
In the past, he had only done some basic stretches after training, naturally missing many such "windows of opportunity."
Now that he was a Gold Member at Mingxin and could enjoy these services for free, he would never miss another opportunity like this.
"Having money is great."
He sighed inwardly. Whether on Earth or Blue Star, a solid financial foundation was the hard truth. Even Martial Artists who pursued the extraordinary seemed unable to escape that rule.
The massage ended more than half an hour later. Ravenous, Chen Mochuan met up with Li Biao, and they headed together to Mingxin's members' restaurant.
As one of Antu City's top martial arts halls, it served a generous spread, with both a wide-ranging buffet and a selection of premium stir-fried dishes that could be ordered separately.
The buffet was free for Gold Members. The two of them felt right at home as they moved among the dishes with their trays.
Their training burned through enormous amounts of energy, and their Spirit Talents had also enhanced their digestion. They didn't need to worry about calories and could simply pick whatever they liked.
Before long, their trays were piled high with all kinds of dishes, fruit, and staples. Their appetites drew curious glances from the other diners.
"They're eating so much. Are they Martial Artists?"
"I've never heard of Martial Artists this young."
"Could they be newly promoted core members of the hall?"
"I know the one who's a little taller. He's a senior at No. 8 High School. I think his Blood-Qi Value is only around the Sixth-Rank. He just eats a lot, that's all."
Chen Mochuan and Li Biao ignored the comments. They found a seat and immediately began to feast.
Though the food was typical buffet fare, the dishes at Mingxin's restaurant tasted surprisingly good. Chen Mochuan was thoroughly satisfied.
After stopping Li Biao from spending extra money to order a stir-fry, Chen Mochuan asked a practical question: "What time does this restaurant close?"
Without looking up, Li Biao replied between bites, "Same hours as the martial arts hall. Seven in the morning to eleven at night."
Chen Mochuan thought with regret that seven was a little late for breakfast. Otherwise, he wouldn't have minded coming here every day to eat before heading to school.
But with the restaurant staying open until eleven at night, he had dinner covered. He could eat well and save his family some money on groceries.
Li Biao, who had been wolfing down his food, suddenly paused. He realized that Mingxin Martial Arts Hall sat right between No. 8 High School and Chen Mochuan's home.
Putting that together with Chen Mochuan's question, he immediately understood that Mingxin was about to welcome someone who would make the "best use" of Gold Member benefits.
While Chen Mochuan and Li Biao were filling their stomachs at Mingxin's restaurant, Hong Yucheng had just stepped out of the flying car after it landed in the suburbs. He was preparing to enter the Wilderness Zone again.
Out of habit, he raised his hand to take off the terminal wristwatch, which was easily damaged in battle, and shut it down. Then he caught sight of a notification from Feng Shi.
After checking the message, his expression suddenly turned grave.
"Hm? Initiation in the Tiger Fiend Fist in an hour and a half?"
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