Blood Mist Flower

"Chen Lie, had you learned this Army-Breaking Fist before?"

Hong Chengshuo could not help asking.

Chen Lie shook his head. "No. This is my first time learning it."

"Your first time?"

Hong Chengshuo could not help scrutinizing Chen Lie.

Was superior comprehension really this terrifying?

It was only a C-rank martial art. He had demonstrated it once and taught it carefully once, yet Chen Lie had already mastered it to this extent?

But if his comprehension was this strong, he should have stood out back in his first year of high school. He should even have secured a spot on the current top hundred elite student rankings. Why had he only entered the elite class now? And why was his blood vitality value still under 7 points?

"Hmm? Something's not right!"

Hong Chengshuo suddenly realized that if Chen Lie's blood vitality value was only in the single digits, how could he have defeated Zhang Xun, whose strength had already surpassed 30 points?

He then said to Chen Lie, "Stop practicing for now. Come with me to my office."

Hearing his instructor's words, Chen Lie had no choice but to stop and follow Hong Chengshuo to his office.

"The rest of you, continue practicing."

Before leaving, Hong Chengshuo gave the other students an instruction.

Once they arrived at the office, Hong Chengshuo sat behind his desk and casually motioned for Chen Lie to sit as well.

"Chen Lie, I want to ask you something. Your blood vitality value is only a little over 6 points. How did you defeat Zhang Xun?"

Chen Lie said, "My blood vitality value surpassed double digits long ago. It isn't merely 6."

He possessed more than fifty years of memories from his previous life spent killing enemies and fighting. His combat awareness and experience were not something a novice like Zhang Xun could compare with. Even if his blood vitality value had been lower than Zhang Xun's, he could still have defeated him with ease.

It could be said that during the blood vitality stage, with his understanding of martial arts and combat experience, as long as his opponent was not overwhelmingly stronger than him, he would ultimately be able to claim victory.

"You hid your strength?" Hong Chengshuo asked with a frown. "But elite student assessments can't be faked. How did you fool your way through it?"

"Of course I have my methods. Instructor, there's no need to pry."

"Then what level has your blood vitality value reached now?" Hong Chengshuo asked again.

"Against someone like Zhang Xun, I could take him down with one hand in under three seconds."

Chen Lie did not elaborate on his blood vitality value, instead putting it another way.

Yet to Hong Chengshuo, this meant Chen Lie's blood vitality value far exceeded Zhang Xun's.

After all, once blood vitality values reached several dozen points, a difference of a few points had a negligible effect on combat power.

The key factors affecting combat power were only martial arts and combat experience. Otherwise, one's blood vitality value had to be vastly higher than the opponent's.

"I didn't expect your blood vitality value to have reached this level.

Why didn't you enter the elite class earlier?"

"I have my own considerations," Chen Lie said.

"Fine, I won't interfere. But since you can defeat Zhang Xun so easily, your strength is probably not far from the top hundred elite student rankings.

This semester is already nearing its end. The school will soon hold a grand end-of-term martial arts competition.

Anyone who earns a ranking in the competition will receive a large martial arts incentive grant from the school as a reward.

If you believe you can earn a ranking in the end-of-term competition, then you need to work hard starting now. Your comprehension is exceptional. Learn a few more martial arts techniques, and even if your blood vitality is inferior to others', you can make up for it with martial arts."

Chen Lie nodded. "I understand. I'll definitely participate in the end-of-term competition, and I'll definitely earn a ranking."

"Give me your elite student card. Your blood vitality value already far exceeds that of the other students, so I'll apply to double your resource subsidy."

Upon hearing that, Chen Lie immediately handed his elite student card to Hong Chengshuo.

After taking Chen Lie's elite student card, Hong Chengshuo immediately operated the supercomputer in his office for a moment before returning it to him.

"If you have any questions about martial arts, come ask me anytime."

Chen Lie nodded. After taking back his elite student card, he left the office.

After spending the day in the elite class, Chen Lie returned home.

When he pushed open the door, Chen Lie discovered that there was unexpectedly a guest at home.

Seeing Chen Lie enter, a middle-aged man rose from the sofa in the living room.

"Chen Lie, you're back?"

Only after the middle-aged man stood up did Chen Lie clearly see his face.

It was his second uncle, Chen Guangqun.

"Second Uncle."

Chen Lie greeted his second uncle, Chen Guangqun.

"Mm."

Chen Guangqun nodded.

"Sister-in-law, think over what I mentioned just now and discuss it with Gequn when you have time. Don't worry, I definitely won't let your family suffer a loss.

Not to mention Chen Lie—once Xingyao's blood vitality value reaches Chen Ye's current level, our family will surely give you our full support."

Feng Yuelan nodded. "Alright, Second Brother. I'll talk to Gequn about it."

"Fine, then I won't stay any longer. There's still a mountain of things waiting for me at home," Chen Guangqun said.

Feng Yuelan watched Chen Guangqun leave. Only after quite some time did she close the door.

Chen Lie then asked, "Mom, did Second Uncle come for something?"

"It's nothing major. Your father and I can handle it, so don't worry about it," Feng Yuelan said.

"You still need to discuss it with Dad, so it can't be a small matter, right? Tell me about it," Chen Lie said.

Feng Yuelan sighed. "You know your father retired from the military as an officer, right?"

Chen Lie gave an "Mm." Of course he knew that.

"That was during an operation to resist alien beasts. Your father injured both legs, and the injuries were so severe that they caused irreversible damage to his body.

But during that operation, your father also saved a high-ranking military officer and earned a Special-Class Merit.

Special-Class Merit in the military is not easily earned. It can be exchanged for many rare treasures unique to military martial arts cultivation."

Hearing this, Chen Lie immediately understood. "I get it. Second Uncle's family has their eye on Dad's military merit."

Feng Yuelan nodded. "Your father has never been willing to use that merit. He was saving it for you and your sister.

Your second uncle made his intentions clear just now. Chen Ye from their family advanced his blood vitality too quickly, causing it to become unstable. His strength value is difficult to maintain, so he must use a rare treasure to stabilize his blood vitality. Otherwise, his martial arts cultivation at the blood vitality stage may have reached its end.

But treasures that stabilize blood vitality are incredibly scarce on the market. Even when they occasionally appear, they are worth a fortune, far beyond what your second uncle's family can afford.

It just so happens that the military merit exchange list contains a rare treasure capable of stabilizing blood vitality, called the Blood Mist Flower.

That was why your second uncle's family thought of your father's military merit."

"Unstable blood vitality? Chen Ye really knows how to cut corners!"

Chen Lie scoffed. Chen Ye was from his second uncle's family and was about the same age as Chen Lie—his cousin.

He remembered that during past New Year family dinners, his second aunt had compared him with Chen Ye more than once, using his grades to highlight Chen Ye's talent and indirectly praise Chen Ye as a genius.

But if Chen Ye were really a genius, would he have allowed his blood vitality to become unstable?

Once one's blood vitality value reached several dozen points, or even approached triple digits, the body's functions would grow increasingly powerful, and the rate at which blood vitality improved would become extremely rapid.

At that point, the first priority was one's strength value, measured in jun. If one's strength value was less than twice one's blood vitality value, that meant the blood vitality was not condensed enough. At that point, one could no longer forcibly increase their blood vitality value and instead had to practice more martial arts to stabilize the blood vitality within their body. Only then could they go far in the blood vitality stage.

Yet Chen Ye's blood vitality had become unstable. This showed that he had abused supplements and medicinal drugs in pursuit of speed, without paying any attention to stabilizing his strength value.

If one's strength value did not meet the standard but they still recklessly consumed supplements and medicines, it would inevitably cause unstable blood vitality. If the blood vitality could not be stabilized, that meant cultivation at the blood vitality stage had reached its end, and one could prepare to break through to become a martial artist.

"Mom, what are you planning to do?"

Chen Lie asked.

He remembered that something like this had seemingly happened around this time in his previous life as well. At first, his father, Chen Gequn, had sternly refused.

But then his second uncle and second aunt repeatedly came to visit their home. Every time, they brought gifts, bought them supplements, prepared Sunflare Brand blood vitality essence for his younger sister Chen Xingyao, and enrolled both him and his sister in martial arts training courses.

After half a month of this, Chen Gequn gradually relented. His second aunt struck while the iron was hot and repeatedly assured them that if Chen Lie or Chen Xingyao encountered any difficulties in the future, their family would spare no effort to help.

In the end, Chen Gequn agreed to use the merit he had preserved for more than ten years to exchange for a Blood Mist Flower for Chen Ye.

After obtaining the Blood Mist Flower, his second aunt's family naturally wept with joy. During the first year, they frequently visited Chen Lie's family, never once arriving empty-handed.

But in the second year, their visits became less than a fraction of what they had been in the first. By the third year, there was no news from them at all—not once did they visit.

Later, Chen Lie's martial arts cultivation left the family deeply in debt. When Chen Gequn sought help from his second uncle's family, they only lent him one million star dollars.

One million star dollars was no small sum, but compared with the Blood Mist Flower exchanged through military merit, it was not even enough to count as a fraction.

"I definitely don't want to agree. That merit was saved for you and Xingyao. Your father probably won't agree either.

I'll bring it up with your father today. Your second uncle will likely come by again, so we'll see."

Chen Lie nodded. He was in no hurry to interfere in this matter. After all, even if things developed according to the course of his previous life, it would not be settled until half a month later.

That night, Chen Lie sat cross-legged on his bed and continued cultivating the Lingguang Divine Refinement Chapter.

During his previous mental power cultivation session, he had lit the first star of the Ghost Mansion constellation, but it had only emitted a dim glow. This time, he wanted that faintly glowing star to bloom with dazzling radiance.

After cultivating through the night, he had indeed made the first star of Ghost Mansion much brighter, but he still could not make it shine with complete brilliance.

"Mental power cultivation still depends on resources. Without resources, it's impossible to move forward even a step."

After awakening Mind Sense beyond the stars in his previous life, he had never worried about Mind-Nurturing Flowers, because they were the most basic resource for mental power cultivation. Beyond the stars, they were not exactly everywhere, but supply still exceeded demand, so their price had always remained low.