Acting on Heaven's Behalf

Gao Teng opened his eyes early in the morning and rushed to Mercy Hospital without a moment's delay.

When he reached the seventh floor of the inpatient department, he heard the sound of an argument the moment he stepped out of the elevator.

"Zhou Xing, you cannot continue to cultivate. You must rest properly these next few days, or your meridians will rupture and you will be completely crippled!"

"The college entrance exam is right around the corner; how can I rest? I have to cultivate, otherwise, I won't be able to get into a top-tier university!"

"This is a hospital, you are my patient, and you must listen to me!"

"So what? You have no right to restrict my personal freedom! Besides, I've said it countless times already—I want to be discharged. By what right are you keeping me here?"

"I cannot allow a critically injured patient to be discharged. It is my duty as a doctor. You must stay in the hospital to recover, and you must stop cultivating!"

Gao Teng listened to these words as he followed the sound toward Zhou Xing's room.

Arriving at the doorway, he poked his head in to take a look. Zhou Xing was sitting on the hospital bed, his face flushed red from arguing with the doctor.

Gao Teng raised an eyebrow, immediately triggered seventeen consecutive thefts, and then pulled his head back.

[You have gained 0.13 points of physical strength]
[You have gained 0.07 points of physical strength]
[You have gained 6% proficiency in Basic Breathing Technique]
[You have gained...]

Amidst a series of pleasant chimes, a surge of immense energy instantly coursed through Gao Teng's entire body.

Immediately, his whole body erupted with a series of crackling pops, and vigorous life force began to surge and boil within him.

"Ah!!!"

Before Gao Teng could even process the changes in his body, a heart-wrenching roar erupted from Zhou Xing inside the room.

"Why? Why? Why?"

"My body is ruined! My body is ruined!"

"Why is it weakening so fast? Someone save me! Someone think of a way!"

"What is happening? What is wrong with me?"

Zhou Xing clawed at his hair, screaming and shouting hysterically.

The doctor stepped back a few paces, his face full of confusion, having no idea what kind of stunt Zhou Xing was pulling.

"Doctor, please, help me!"

Zhou Xing jumped off the bed and grabbed the doctor's shoulders, veins bulging instantly on his forehead.

"My body is weakening every day, my cultivation level is dropping every day, and as for my techniques and martial arts—I had clearly mastered them to perfection, but now the more I practice, the more confused I get. I can't grasp the essence at all."

"Doctor, please think of something. If this continues, I'm finished. My life will have no hope left!"

Zhou Xing fell to his knees, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"I don't want to end up at the bottom of society. I want to get ahead. I want to give my parents a good life, make them feel proud of me, and let them hold their heads high in front of others."

"What do I do? What should I do? What did I do wrong to deserve this punishment?"

Zhou Xing completely broke down, hugging the doctor's legs and sobbing bitterly.

The doctor's brow furrowed into a knot: "When you were brought in for emergency care yesterday, we performed a full-body examination and found nothing wrong with you other than severe damage to your meridians."

"Furthermore, I have never heard of the things you are describing. Are you suffering from mental issues, or are you experiencing strange delusions?"

"No!!!"

Zhou Xing stood up abruptly, his face becoming twisted and ferocious.

"Everything I said is true, it's not a delusion at all, you quack! You can't even figure out the problem with my body, what kind of doctor are you? You'd be better off shoveling manure!"

The doctor's face darkened instantly, and he swung his hand in a chop, striking Zhou Xing heavily on the back of the neck.

Zhou Xing's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed forward.

The doctor caught him and said to the nurse nearby: "Inject Zhou Xing with a sedative. He's too agitated; his martial arts training has messed with his mind."

"Heh."

Gao Teng let out a laugh and pulled his head back.

The scene he had just witnessed was truly spectacular!

In high spirits, he turned and left; it was time to head to school.

Taking the elevator down, Gao Teng walked out of the hospital, hailed a taxi, and sat in the back seat to summon his attribute panel.

From the seventeen consecutive thefts just now, he had only managed to steal physical strength and proficiency for the Basic Breathing Technique.

0.83 points of physical strength brought his total physical stats to 3.31.

The proficiency of the Basic Breathing Technique had risen to Level 3 at 64%, a full level increase!

Although the number of items stolen was small, the numerical improvement was massive!

"Very good."

Gao Teng revealed a satisfied smile; after his physical strength broke through the third level, his entire being felt as if it had been reborn.

His bones were harder and denser, his flesh and blood were firmer and tougher, and his internal organs were stronger and more vigorous, as if he had an inexhaustible supply of energy throughout his body.

Although his cultivation base had not increased, his overall strength had taken a significant leap forward.

"Basic Breathing Technique..."

Gao Teng rubbed his chin.

He had actually only started practicing this technique four days ago; when he first arrived in this world, his predecessor had not yet refined any true qi.

This was because Level 1 was also known as the Body Tempering Realm, where the primary goal was to forge the body into a sturdy vessel capable of containing pure and profound true qi.

In just four days, he had trained the Basic Breathing Technique to Level 3, and he was only a step away from Level 4—all thanks to Zhou Xing's hard work.

"My future is looking brighter and brighter, while Zhou Xing must be wishing he were dead, right?"

Gao Teng sneered in his heart. Zhou Xing was not worth pitying in the slightest; this was the retribution he deserved. Who told him to extort those timid and cowardly students?

"If his cultivation hadn't been stolen by me, he would have gotten into a key university and had a very bright future.

That would have been too cruel for the students he bullied, so it's fortunate that I'm here to act on behalf of heaven."

Gao Teng closed his attribute panel with satisfaction and began to close his eyes to rest.

After a twenty-minute ride, the taxi stopped outside the gates of Fifth Middle School.

Gao Teng paid and got out, only to notice that the driver had put on several face masks at some point, looking like he was on the verge of tears.

"My apologies."

Gao Teng smiled sheepishly. Although he had showered early that morning, his body still emitted a pungent, fishy stench.

In the cramped space of the taxi, this smell was undoubtedly overwhelming, and the driver had suffered throughout the journey.

Gao Teng was not stingy; he scanned an extra twenty yuan as a tip before walking toward the school.

He had timed it precisely, arriving outside the classroom of Class 5 just as the bell for class rang.

Inside the classroom, the students were already immersed in their cultivation, and their homeroom teacher, Chen Yan, was sitting behind the podium, supervising them.

Hearing Gao Teng call out to report, she turned her head and frowned, saying, "Gao Teng, you're arriving far too late.

There are only fifty-some days left until the college entrance exam, and you're still cutting it this close to get to class. Do you even want to improve?"

After her stern criticism, her expression shifted: "Wait a minute, what is that smell on you? Why is it so fishy?"