In the days of cultivation after his Martial Soul Awakening, Qin Qi practiced in the Study Space while also cultivating outside.
The Qi he cultivated with the Five Treasures Body Protection Method was equivalent to Soul Power. After studying without pause for the past few days, his Soul Power had reached its limit.
He had no way to test his Soul Power right now, but Qin Qi guessed he had already reached Level 10.
To improve further, he would have to obtain a Spirit Ring.
He had gathered quite a few ingredients for Qi Poison over the past few days, but there were still several he hadn't found.
But the day to leave for Nuoding City had arrived, so Qin Qi had no choice but to find a way to buy the remaining ingredients there.
Qin Qi and the village chief rode a carriage to Nuoding City. On the way,
"Village chief, could you lend me some money? Once I make it big, I'll definitely pay you back."
Qin Qi wanted to borrow some money from the village chief so he could buy the ingredients he was missing at an apothecary.
"If you're not awake yet, get some more sleep. Nuoding City is still a long way off."
The village chief looked at Qin Qi as if to say, "What kind of stupid dream is that?" If Qin Qi was hungry, he could give him something to eat, but money was out of the question!
"Ah, even the greatest hero can be stumped by a single coin."
Qin Qi didn't blame the village chief. They weren't related, and the village chief had already looked after him a great deal. He ought to be grateful.
"What kind of hero are you? You're just a little brat."
"But don't worry. Once you get to Notting Academy, you won't just be able to study—you can work, too. I hear they pay ten Copper Soul Coins a day."
The village chief spoke up.
"Ah."
Qin Qi sighed. He really couldn't wait any longer. Even now, he hadn't learned a single way to attack.
All he could do in a fight was go hand to hand. How was that anything like an assassin or a killer? How was that anything like a disciple of the Tang Sect?
It was embarrassing just to think about someone seeing him.
When they arrived at Notting Academy, they met the guards at the entrance. The guards didn't give them a hard time; after asking a few routine questions to confirm their identities, they let them in.
Qin Qi went to have a teacher test his Soul Power, registered his name, and collected his uniform. He was now officially a Work-Study Student at Notting Academy.
"Study hard, and become a Spirit Master who makes something of himself!"
The village chief patted Qin Qi on the shoulder and gave him a heartfelt word of advice before leaving.
His duty as village chief was done. From here on, Qin Qi was on his own. He had already looked after him enough.
"Thanks, village chief."
Qin Qi walked the village chief to the entrance of Notting Academy. He had intended to walk farther with him, but the village chief stopped him.
"No need to see me off. If you wander too far, I'm afraid you won't find your way back, and then I'll have to bring you back myself."
The village chief spoke up.
"Mm... You've got a point. I'll stop here, then."
Qin Qi nodded. Nuoding City was pretty big, and since this was his first time there, he really might get lost.
After saying goodbye to the village chief, Qin Qi headed for his dormitory. He was assigned to Dorm Seven, where all the Work-Study Students were placed, regardless of age.
Qin Qi had just reached the dormitory door and pushed it open when he saw Chang Wei—no, Wang Sheng—beating someone up.
"Another new kid. You gonna let me beat you up, or just accept me as your boss?"
Wang Sheng rolled his shoulders and strode toward Qin Qi with a sinister grin. He was tall and stout, and he had a Beast Martial Soul.
With nobody having a Spirit Ring yet, he had a real advantage in a fight.
"What did you say?"
Qin Qi pretended he hadn't heard, cupped a hand to his ear, and moved closer to Wang Sheng.
"I said, are you going to accept me as your—ah!!!"
Seeing how guileless Qin Qi looked, Wang Sheng let his guard down, genuinely thinking he hadn't heard.
He walked toward Qin Qi to speak closer, but the moment he got near, Qin Qi went straight for a kick between the legs.
"Oh, I heard you this time. But I'm not picking either of the answers you gave me."
"I'm gonna beat you up, then take your money."
Qin Qi still wore an innocent smile. He might never have learned to cultivate Qi back in the day,
but he had grown up in the Tang Sect, after all. He'd picked up a thing or two about fighting.
He couldn't take on an expert, but beating up a little kid was easy.
"I—I'm not convinced!"
Wang Sheng knelt on the ground, clutching his crotch with both hands and gritting his teeth so hard his eyes looked ready to pop out.
"What do I care if you're convinced? Hand over your money, or I'll keep beating you."
Qin Qi had already held back with that kick. If he'd really put his weight into it, Wang Sheng wouldn't even be able to speak now.
"I don't—"
Qin Qi lifted his foot, ready to give Wang Sheng another kick.
"I do! It's by my bed!"
Wang Sheng caved at once. That kick had nearly made him pass out from the pain. He couldn't take another one.
"Good. You know what's best for you. The rest of you, pay up for protection, or you'll each get one, too."
Qin Qi glared fiercely at the others in the room and spoke up.
"You—you can't do that! It's against the rules!"
Someone spoke up.
"I can't even afford food, and you're talking to me about rules? Nothing matters more than eating!"
"If you don't pay, I'll beat you up until you do!"
Qin Qi couldn't worry about all that now. He didn't just have to cultivate; he had to eat, too.
There was no one at the academy he could mooch meals off. The cafeteria charged, too. It wasn't much, but he had no money.
Unlike Tang San, who at least had a cheap dad to his name, Qin Qi was a complete orphan in this world. He'd survived this long thanks to the village's simple, honest ways.
Right now, he really had fallen on hard times.
The students exchanged glances, then looked at Wang Sheng, sprawled on the ground. In the end, they backed down.
They took out the little money they'd saved from working at the academy and handed it all to Qin Qi.
"Anyone got anything left?"
Qin Qi pocketed the money, then looked at them and asked.
"No, that was everything!"
They all answered in unison.
"You gave me everything? I'll search."
Qin Qi searched the room, but really couldn't find anything else. He looked at the students.
"Keep this much for your meals. The rest is mine."
Qin Qi took out some of the money he'd seized and left it for them to eat. Robbing people was one thing, but he couldn't leave them to starve.
He put the money on the table and left. It was a bit like covering his ears while stealing a bell, but it was better than doing nothing.
"Boss Wang Sheng, are you okay?!"
Once Qin Qi was gone, everyone rushed over to help Wang Sheng up and asked with concern.
"I-I'm fine. Let me catch my breath!"
Wang Sheng sat on his bed for a long while before he recovered. The first thing he said afterward was:
"We've gotta get him! Nobody sleep tonight. When he comes back, throw a blanket over him and beat the hell out of him!"
"Boss Wang Sheng, maybe not. I think that guy—"
The student thought Qin Qi was pretty hard to deal with and didn't want to provoke him, but Wang Sheng glared at him.
"Whatever you say, boss. You're the boss."
The student changed his tune at once.
Meanwhile, Qin Qi left the academy, wandered around outside for a while, and eventually found an apothecary.
"Ah, this little bit of money is nothing. If I hadn't gathered some ingredients myself, it wouldn't have been nearly enough.
"But luckily, there's more than one way to refine poison in the Tang Sect. The rich have their methods, and the poor have theirs."
Qin Qi sighed. For the first time, he was glad the Tang Sect had been hard up in its early years.
If it hadn't been poor, the people of the Tang Sect wouldn't have studied how to refine poison for as little money as possible.
"Ah, money isn't everything, but without it, you can't do anything."
Qin Qi sighed, took the last few ingredients, and returned to the academy. He found a quiet spot on the grounds and then entered the Study Space.
"Granduncle, I found the ingredients. Let's start refining poison!"
Qin Qi was a little excited as he said it. He was finally going to start learning real skills!
Once he learned how to make Qi Poison, he'd have at least a little power to protect himself in the Douluo World!