If You're Broke, What Are You Practicing Qi For? The Older Generation Just Loves Speaking in Riddles!

That afternoon, after buying the materials, Qin Qi entered the Study Space and started processing medicinal ingredients with Tang Jiaren.

After spending most of the day at it, they made a hundred pills.

"Each of these pills can improve your physical constitution, but their medicinal effects are potent."

"Take no more than one a day. If you take too many, they'll turn toxic."

Tang Jiaren held the pills and reminded Qin Qi.

"Mm."

Qin Qi nodded. The medicinal ingredients he'd bought for over five hundred Gold Soul Coins had only yielded these hundred pills.

In other words, each pill had cost five Gold Soul Coins in materials!

And that was with him making them himself. Who knew how much they'd cost if he bought them elsewhere?

"This is basically eating money."

Holding the pills, Qin Qi shook his head and smiled at Tang Jiaren.

"Practicing martial arts has always cost money. You need to hire a master to teach you, and you need supplements to build your body."

"Food tonics and medicinal tonics are both essential. That's why people say the poor study literature while the rich practice martial arts. If you've got no money, what are you practicing martial arts for?"

Tang Jiaren said with a cheerful laugh.

"Ah."

Qin Qi sighed, then swallowed a pill. The moment it reached his stomach, he began circulating the Five Treasures Body Protection Method to absorb its effects.

This batch was different from the previous one. This time, they'd added more precious medicinal ingredients.

Its effects lasted longer. Qin Qi felt warmth throughout his body, nourishing him from head to toe.

"That stuff called Whale Rubber really is excellent. It's incredibly nourishing. I added plenty of other good ingredients to this batch, too."

"The effects of one pill are enough to last you a whole day."

Tang Jiaren said.

"Time to grind! Keep making money, keep buying medicine!"

Feeling the warm current flow through his body, Qin Qi was brimming with energy.

"Don't grind just yet. Help me make some Hidden Weapons first."

Tang Jiaren rolled up his sleeves, then said with a cheerful laugh, "Help me sort out the materials first."

"Yes."

Qin Qi looked at the huge pile of materials he'd bought, and his enthusiasm instantly fizzled out.

Fine. In the end, he still had to assemble everything from scratch.

After spending another half a day working together, Qin Qi and Tang Jiaren finally made a classic Tang Sect Hidden Weapon: the Hand Spike!

"This is the most reliable little helper in our Tang Sect. Don't be fooled by how small it is. It's absurdly strong."

"It also channels Qi extremely well. You could say it isn't a magical treasure, yet it's better than one."

Tang Jiaren held the black Hand Spike. With the slightest flick of his hand, it disappeared.

"Its black finish keeps it from reflecting light in any situation. It's even slimmer than a silver needle, so it can precisely strike even the tiniest opening."

"If you learn the Illusion Barrier, you can combine it with the Hand Spike to create a truly invisible Hidden Weapon."

As Tang Jiaren spoke, he suddenly pointed behind Qin Qi. "Go pick it up."

"What?"

Qin Qi froze for a moment, then turned around. Somehow, the Hand Spike had appeared behind him.

He felt himself over and found a trace of blood on his forehead.

"Granduncle, when did you attack? Your hands didn't move at all!"

Qin Qi froze, his eyes widening slightly. In the instant they'd been talking, he'd been killed.

But he hadn't felt a thing. He hadn't even seen Tang Jiaren move his hands.

"Everyone knows you need your hands to throw Hidden Weapons, so everyone watches your hands."

"You need to learn how to hide your movements so no one can see you attack."

Tang Jiaren said with a cheerful laugh.

"Granduncle, I want to learn that move!"

Qin Qi said. That move was shady as hell, but he liked it. He wanted to learn it.

"Take it slow. I'll teach you the Hand Spike's basic uses and precautions first. Once you've learned those, I'll teach you more."

Tang Jiaren said.

Over the next few days, Qin Qi learned how to use the Hand Spike from Tang Jiaren.

Meanwhile, Tang Jiaren also used all sorts of methods to ambush Qin Qi in the Study Space, supposedly as training.

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and Qin Qi had learned all the ways to use the Hand Spike.

While they were eating in the cafeteria.

"Qin Qi..."

"Thump!"

Qin Qi suddenly swung a backhand punch behind him, knocking Wang Sheng flat in an instant.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Wang Sheng clutched his throat and coughed loudly. That punch had hit him in the neck.

If he hadn't been fat and thickly padded, the blow would have made him pass out from lack of air.

"Why'd you sneak up behind me? You scared the hell out of me!"

Qin Qi turned to look at Wang Sheng and let out a sigh of relief. These past few days, Tang Jiaren had ambushed him in every way imaginable in the Study Space.

He'd developed a hair-trigger response!

"Cough, cough, cough. I just wanted to ask if you wanted a meatball. I managed to grab a few today."

Wang Sheng looked at Qin Qi with an utterly innocent expression. He'd just walked over like normal.

Did he really need to react that strongly? Wang Sheng had never even considered sneaking up on him.

"Sorry. Lunch is on me today. Eat whatever you want."

"And don't come near me without warning for a while. You might get hurt."

Qin Qi looked at Wang Sheng, patted his shoulder, then took out a Gold Soul Coin and handed it to him.

"Y-yes!"

"Boss Qin Qi, you're so generous!"

Wang Sheng stared at the Gold Soul Coin in his hand, eyes wide. One punch got him a Gold Soul Coin? Then how about a few more punches?

He felt like he could take a pretty good beating.

"Did you misunderstand something? I only gave you a Gold Soul Coin because I didn't have any small change."

"You need to give me nine Silver Spirit Coins."

Qin Qi looked at Wang Sheng and explained.

"..."

Wang Sheng reluctantly took out nine Silver Spirit Coins. Qin Qi really was still the same Qin Qi he knew.

After taking his change back, Qin Qi went to work. While butchering pigs, his technique grew ever more polished.

Many times, as he was carving one up, his mind hadn't even caught up before his body had already finished cutting the pig apart.

"Hmm?"

Qin Qi looked at the pig, now completely cut up, and suddenly realized something.

That night, he entered the Study Space.

"Granduncle, were you trying to give me a hint?"

Qin Qi looked at Tang Jiaren. Tang Jiaren had been ambushing him all this time without ever explaining why.

Whenever Qin Qi asked, Tang Jiaren only said, "Figure it out yourself." Now Qin Qi understood.

Was the old man playing that riddle about getting tapped on the head three times and then going to find him in the dead of night?

"What do you think I was hinting at?"

Tang Jiaren looked at Qin Qi and asked with a smile.

"The Tang Sect's Observation Method. The Tang Sect's Observation Method isn't just about seeing clearly; it's also about transcending consciousness!"

"Once consciousness breaks free of its restraints, only the purest thoughts remain, and all distractions vanish."

"Whether attacking or defending, you'll respond instinctively as fast as possible."

Qin Qi looked at Tang Jiaren and asked.