The Five Tiers of Blood Qi Value

As soon as they got home, Chen Xingyao eagerly caught up with Chen Lie.

"Hey, Chen Lie, that stuff you said earlier about having Grandmaster potential and making a late surge—it was all made up, wasn't it?"

Chen Lie glanced at his sister. "How do you know I made it up?"

"Still being stubborn? It's not like I wasn't there when you went to the Martial Arts Hall yesterday. If the hall master had inspected the students, there's no way I wouldn't know. Come clean already. Why did you lie to Dad and Mom?"

Chen Lie fell silent for a moment before saying, "I really didn't lie. Someone did say I had the potential to become a Grandmaster. It's just that this person wasn't from Blue Star, but an important figure from the Outer Stars."

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"Someone from the Outer Stars? Go fool a ghost!"

"Believe it or not, but don't tell Dad and Mom about this."

After saying that, Chen Lie shrugged and left, leaving Chen Xingyao standing there with an uncertain expression.

She knew her brother well. If Chen Lie had loudly argued with her just now, she would have been sure he was lying. But he had merely given such a casual explanation and left, making her almost believe him.

Could her brother really have some kind of Pseudo-Nutrient Saturation Constitution? Had he been delayed all these years?

"Impossible!"

Chen Xingyao hurriedly shook her head. What Outer Stars visitor? As an ordinary citizen of Blue Star, she only knew that Blue Star had entered the interstellar era within the last century or so, and that martial civilizations far beyond Blue Star did exist in the Outer Stars. Beyond that, she knew nothing at all.

Even if some important figure from the Outer Stars really had come to Blue Star, there was no reason for them to appear in Dongchuan Province, one of Blue Star's worst provinces.

Could it really be just to declare that Chen Lie had Grandmaster potential?

That evening, the family of four had dinner at home.

During the meal, Chen Gequn grew more and more worried. "Chen Lie, didn't you eat a little too much today? Even if a Grandmaster did make that declaration, those were all highly nutritious foods packed with supplements.

How about this? I'll take you to see a physician for an examination tomorrow."

"No need, Dad." Chen Lie shook his head. "I can feel the nutrients that piled up earlier gradually dissolving already. By the next time you come back, I guarantee I'll give you a huge surprise."

"I'm not asking for any surprise. When I come back next time, I'll be satisfied if your Blood Qi Value breaks 1," Chen Gequn said.

"Breaking 1 is far too low a goal. How about this? Before you come back next time, I guarantee I'll enter the Elite Class."

The moment Chen Lie finished speaking, Chen Xingyao let out a cold snort. "Big talk!"

Chen Gequn ignored Chen Xingyao and said to Chen Lie, "Don't push yourself too hard either. Training requires a proper balance between exertion and rest. But before your Blood Qi Value breaks 1, you can't slack off. Dad has already asked someone to order Blood Essence Fluid. Now we're just waiting for your Blood Qi Value to break 1.

If you need any supplements during training, tell your Mother promptly."

Chen Lie nodded and lowered his head to continue eating.

The next day, Chen Gequn left home early for work in a neighboring province, while Chen Lie headed to Dongchuan Martial Arts Hall early in the morning.

His mother, Feng Yuelan, had enrolled him and his sister in a thirty-five-day Blood Essence Value Sprint Class. Although there were only ten lessons, they could use their Student IDs to train at the Martial Arts Hall throughout those thirty-five days. After all, their combined tuition was nearly twenty thousand Star Dollars.

After entering the Martial Arts Hall, Chen Lie found a private training room.

Taking off his shirt, Chen Lie began practicing the Basic Body Tempering Technique, performing the nineteen movements of its first form.

The nutrients accumulated in his body yesterday began dissolving rapidly.

As he carried out the nineteen movements of the first form of the Basic Body Tempering Technique one by one, Chen Lie felt as though every cell in his body had come alive, greedily devouring the nutrients.

After completing the first form of the Basic Body Tempering Technique, Chen Lie immediately began practicing the second form.

The second form contained twenty-seven movements. Chen Lie moved his body and performed all twenty-seven in sequence, feeling his body rapidly heat up as his temperature suddenly rose from thirty-six degrees to over forty.

At the same time, the cells in his meridians became highly active. The moment the nutrients in his body were absorbed, they were transformed into Blood Qi.

After nearly two hours, the accumulated nutrients in Chen Lie's body had been completely consumed, and his body temperature returned to normal.

Although he had not measured his Blood Qi Value, Chen Lie instinctively felt that it had soared.

Leaving the Personal Training Room, Chen Lie immediately went to the Blood Essence Detector to test his Blood Qi.

After entering the detector's cabin, the machine emitted scanning light. Before long, the Blood Qi test was complete, and the machine began announcing the result.

"Beep. Test complete. Blood Qi Value: 2.31 Ka."

After the test, Chen Lie stepped out of the Blood Essence Detector's cabin. Hearing the result, he was not surprised.

My Blood Qi has increased by almost 1 Ka. The rate at which my Blood Qi Value is progressing has completely exceeded Blue Star's tier standard.

The Blood Qi Value Advancement Tier Standard established by Blue Star's authorities was divided into five stages.

The first stage was before one's Blood Qi Value broke 1. This was the most difficult stage. No supplements or medicine could be used; one could only raise Blood Qi through personal training.

Once one's Blood Qi Value broke 1, one entered the second stage. By using a bottle of Blood Essence Fluid and training for several days, one could increase their Blood Qi Value by 0.4 to 0.6 Ka. If their family was well-off, they could begin consuming small amounts of supplements to gain even more Blood Qi.

The third stage began once one's Blood Qi Value broke 3. One could then consume Exotic Beast Meat for the first time. By eating half a jin of Exotic Beast Meat every day for a month and training diligently, one could increase their Blood Qi Value by roughly 0.9 to 1.1 Ka.

The fourth stage began once one's Blood Qi Value broke 5. One could take medicinal baths for the first time. Ten consecutive days of medicinal baths could increase Blood Qi by roughly 1.4 to 2.1 Ka.

As for why the effects of medicinal baths varied so greatly, the main reason was that the herbs added to the baths used by wealthy families were all precious and rare, while those from poor families could often only add herbs according to the minimum standard.

From this stage onward, the gap between rich and poor would gradually become apparent. The wealthy could enjoy all sorts of precious supplements, while the poor could barely maintain even a basic nutritional supply. Their difference would begin growing wider and wider from this point on.

The fifth stage began after one's Blood Qi Value broke 10 Ka. At this point, the body's functions had improved dramatically. As long as they were not abused, all kinds of supplements and medicines could be used frequently. Blood Qi Value advancement would enter the fast lane, like a bird soaring freely through the vast sky.

For an ordinary Martial Arts Student to pass through all five stages, they would need to spend at least one million Star Dollars. Therefore, even slightly impoverished families would not let their children walk the martial path, because they simply could not afford it.

I need to find a way to make money.

Unlike others, Chen Lie possessed the Central Galactic Empire's Mystic Body Tempering Technique. As long as he had sufficient nutrition, his Blood Qi Value could rise in a straight line.

Not a single genius on Blue Star was unable to increase their Blood Qi because of insufficient nutrition.

In this life, Chen Lie did not want to rely on his family again. Besides, he knew perfectly well—how far could his family's savings support him?

"Se... Senior, wait a moment."

Chen Lie returned to the training room and put on his shirt. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard a crisp voice behind him.

Turning around, Chen Lie saw a delicately pretty girl of about fourteen or fifteen.

Seeing Chen Lie's questioning look, the girl hurriedly said, "Hello, Senior. My name is Li Xianyu. I'm in the Grade 10 Key Class, and I'm classmates with Chen Xingyao. We've met before, in the first-floor lobby of the Martial Arts Hall the afternoon before yesterday."

Chen Lie thought back for a moment, then nodded. "Do you need something?"

"It's like this. I'd like to ask Senior for a favor," Li Xianyu said. "My family asked me to sign up for a C-Rank Martial Art called Cloud Smoke Steps.

But the instructor for the Cloud Smoke Steps Guidance Class, Instructor Qu, is a famous teacher. The classes he offers are highly sought after by many students, and you need a letter of recommendation to register. But I left mine at home.

So I'd like to ask Senior to help me hold my place in line while I go home to get the letter."

Hearing this, Chen Lie became interested. He nodded and asked, "How many lessons are there in this Cloud Smoke Steps guidance class? What happens if you can't learn it within the allotted lessons?"

Li Xianyu found the question somewhat strange, but she still answered, "There are twelve lessons in the Cloud Smoke Steps Guidance Class. Anyone registering for it must already have some foundation. With a famous teacher guiding them, they'll always gain something. It's unlikely that they won't learn anything at all."

"Oh." Chen Lie nodded. "Then for someone like you, after these twelve Cloud Smoke Steps guidance classes, would you be able to master this martial art and use it with complete ease?"

Li Xianyu hurriedly shook her head. "I'm only a Martial Arts Student whose Blood Qi Value hasn't even broken 1. How could I possibly train a C-Rank Martial Art to the point of using it freely? It would already be good enough if I could grasp the basics."

"How much is the tuition for this Cloud Smoke Steps guidance class?" Chen Lie asked.

Li Xianyu replied, "It's just under two hundred thousand Star Dollars, but it's pretty close."

Hearing that, Chen Lie's heart stirred. Keeping his expression calm, he said, "I have a B-Rank Martial Art called Phantom Steps. It's also a footwork technique, and I can teach you to use it freely within three days.

I don't want your two hundred thousand Star Dollars. I'll only charge one hundred thousand. What do you think?"

"Huh?"

Li Xianyu was dumbfounded. Chen Xingyao's brother was trying to sell her a martial art?

But hadn't Chen Xingyao said her brother's Blood Qi Value was not much higher than her own? What the hell would he know about a B-Rank Martial Art?

"Heh, no need, Senior. My Blood Qi Value is too low, and B-Rank Martial Arts are too profound. I probably wouldn't be able to learn it.

If it's inconvenient for you, I'll find someone else to help me hold my place in line."

With that, Li Xianyu turned and was about to leave.