Fang Shuwen stared at the string of numbers on the Panel and slowly let out a breath of stale air.
Attack had risen from 5 to 7, defense from 4 to 6, and life had jumped from 3 to 5.
Only spirit was still stuck at 3.
This time,
the attribute boost from Soaring Snake Fist advancing from proficient to mastery was greater than any previous increase.
Attack and defense had each risen by two points, and life had risen by two points.
The change brought by five points of life was also unusually noticeable.
He could clearly feel that his vitality was more than twice as strong as before.
His heartbeat was steady and powerful, each beat like a precision steam engine running.
His muscles, bones, and tendons had all been reorganized, almost remade.
"My spirit hasn't changed..."
Fang Shuwen murmured, his brow creasing slightly.
His spirit attribute had only increased once, when Body Strengthening Fist had evolved into Soaring Snake Fist.
It hadn't changed with any of the other increases.
Was it because his martial arts realm was still too low?
Or did Soaring Snake Fist itself have nothing to do with training the spirit?
Or could the spirit attribute only increase when a martial art evolved?
He couldn't figure it out for now, so he decided not to dwell on it.
Fang Shuwen continued looking down.
[Skill Points: 0]
His skill points were back to zero.
Ten skill points weren't a lot, but they weren't nothing, either.
It had taken him all these days to save them up, and one upgrade had used them all.
Next time, advancing from mastery to great accomplishment—
judging by his estimate, his strength should officially reach Bright Force.
The skill points required would likely be no fewer than twenty.
"I've got over a hundred silver dollars now. That should be enough to buy about five pieces of Ghost Jade, which ought to do it."
Fang Shuwen calculated silently, planning to visit the National Martial Arts Hall after school the next day.
With that in mind, he closed the Panel, bent down, and put the weights and Stone Locks back in their proper places.
Before long,
Fang Shuwen pushed the last Stone Lock back into the corner, brushed the dust from his hands, and left the storeroom.
The night wind blew against him, cool with a hint of chill.
He passed through the Moon Gate, crossed the covered corridor, and headed for the courtyard where he lived.
It was late. The servants' quarters in the back courtyard of the Zhao Estate were silent. Only the occasional glow of yellow lamplight seeped through a window, while the faint sound of water came from the kitchen in the distance.
Hu Da was probably still tidying up.
The light in Old Fang's room had already gone out. Through the paper window, Fang Shuwen could hear his steady snores.
Fang Shuwen softened his footsteps and was just about to push the door open.
Just then, a rush of hurried footsteps came from the courtyard gate.
Soles slapped against the flagstones, pattering fast and unevenly.
Fang Shuwen turned around and saw a pale-blue figure stumble in through the courtyard gate.
Cuicui.
Her school uniform was wrinkled, a few strands of hair had come loose, and her cheeks were still flushed.
When she saw Fang Shuwen standing in the courtyard, she abruptly stopped, her chest rising and falling heavily.
Her eyes were evasive and embarrassed, as if she'd done something shameful.
Fang Shuwen glanced at her.
"Cuicui!"
Cuicui, who had been about to head straight home, stopped.
She glanced at Fang Shuwen hesitantly.
"What is it?"
"That boyfriend of yours, the one called Li Tong."
Fang Shuwen's tone was calm, but he enunciated every word.
"He's no good. Stay away from him."
Cuicui's face turned pale in an instant.
She wasn't surprised or confused.
She was frightened and embarrassed, like someone whose secret had been exposed.
Her pupils contracted, and her lips pressed together.
"Y-you... how do you know Li Tong?"
Her voice rose, unmistakably tense.
Her mother had always wanted her to stay in school, then marry a rich young master, so she could support the whole family.
But she'd fallen for a poor boy.
Her mother would never agree to them being together, so she and Li Tong could only date in secret, carefully and cautiously.
They'd always avoided being seen. How did Fang Shuwen know?
Could he have been following her?
At the thought, Cuicui, already embarrassed that her secret had been exposed, glared at him.
"Believe me or not, he's trouble. Keep your wits about you, and don't believe everything he says."
"What gives you the right to say that about him?"
Cuicui's voice suddenly rose. Her eyes grew even redder, and it was hard to tell whether she was hurt or angry.
Fang Shuwen looked at her and sighed inwardly.
People blinded by love really were the same in every era.
They were only neighbors, and they weren't particularly close. He'd done enough by warning her this much.
"That's all I have to say. Whether you listen is up to you."
With that, he turned and headed for his room.
"Stop!"
Cuicui's voice called after him, on the verge of tears.
"Fang Shuwen, did you see something? Were you following me today?"
"Following you? You're imagining things."
Fang Shuwen paused but didn't turn around.
"I don't care what you saw today. If you dare spread rumors, I... I'll..."
Cuicui's voice trembled. She kept stammering, "I'll..." but couldn't say what she would do.
Fang Shuwen finally turned around and looked at her.
In the moonlight, Cuicui stood by the courtyard gate, her school uniform wrinkled, her hair disheveled, and her eyes red. She looked like a cat with its fur standing on end.
Both pitiful and infuriating.
"Relax. I'm not interested in your affairs."
After saying that, Fang Shuwen pushed open the door and went inside.
The door closed behind him, shutting out the courtyard's moonlight and the helpless girl standing by the gate.
Cuicui stayed where she was, staring at the closed door, her lips bitten until they turned white.
She didn't believe Fang Shuwen would keep her secret.
After all, in her eyes, Fang Shuwen was a complete scoundrel.
At the thought, Cuicui made up her mind.
Before Fang Shuwen told anyone about her, she had to leave with Li Tong as soon as possible.
Only by leaving Xikou County Town could they escape their parents and live freely.
The next morning.
Before dawn had fully broken, Fang Shuwen was woken by the noise in the courtyard.
Mother Wang's booming voice rang out again.
"Cuicui, now that you're in the Elite Class, you have to study hard and try to place in the top ten on the next exam."
"Then, you won't just be able to find yourself an official—you'll have no trouble landing one of those rich young masters, either."
By the time Fang Shuwen stepped outside,
Mother Wang was standing beneath the covered corridor, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Cuicui's door. Her voice was loud enough for the whole lane to hear.
A short distance in front of her, Hu Da and Old Fang stood there woodenly, as if they were being reprimanded by a superior.
"Oh, right. The results have been out for three or four days now."
"Old Fang, how did your Little Fang do? My Cuicui said he passed the assessment, but she didn't say what his results were like."
Mother Wang was secretly pleased, though she felt a little regret, too.
She was pleased that Cuicui had made it into the Elite Class, but regretted that Little Fang had passed the assessment instead of being expelled from school.
She'd asked Cuicui about it last night.
Cuicui had only said Little Fang passed the assessment, not what his results were.
His results must have been terrible. Cuicui had probably spared Little Fang's pride and hadn't wanted to say.