Brothers at Heart

By the time Su Wuming returned to the city from the Dark Forest, it was already evening. He had encountered two packs of beasts along the way, forcing him to take detours and costing him plenty of time. He had nearly gotten lost as well.

After returning, the first thing Su Wuming did was head straight back to the rented room.

He was in high spirits and naturally wanted to celebrate with Pangpang.

Of course, he was not stupid enough to tell him about the system.

However, when he got back to the rented room, Pangpang was nowhere to be found. A glance into the kitchen told him that Pangpang had gone out to run their stall.

So, he quickly took a shower, then headed straight for the night market.

The night market where he and Pangpang ran their stall drew quite a large crowd at night, and the stall fees were not too expensive either—thirteen thousand a year. Naturally, better spots cost twenty or thirty thousand.

Neither of them expected to get rich from it. As long as they earned enough for living expenses and tuition, that was enough.

However, the starch sausage business was incredibly popular on this street. There were seven or eight competing stalls, yet that did not affect the customer traffic at their stall in the slightest.

Usually, after costs, they could make around two hundred yuan each night. On weekends and holidays, that amount doubled, more than enough to cover the expenses of both of them.

It was already ten at night when Su Wuming arrived, the busiest time at the night market.

After following the crowd for a while, he spotted their little stall ahead: Little Fatty's Starch Sausages.

Business was good today. Lin Pangpang was sweating profusely as he worked, with seven or eight customers gathered in front of the stall.

Their sauces were mixed well, so they had plenty of returning customers.

Normally, one person fried the sausages while the other brushed on sauce, sprinkled seasonings, and packaged them. The two of them could just barely keep up.

"Little Fatty, why didn't that brother of yours come today? Look how busy you are." While waiting, an old customer started chatting with Lin Pangpang.

"Hehe, he awakened. He's busy cultivating." Lin Pangpang answered with a smile.

That smile looked utterly sincere to the others. He was genuinely happy that his friend had awakened.

"Oh my, does that mean we might not get to eat your cooking anymore in the future?"

"Wait, if he's cultivating, why aren't you cultivating?"

"I'm in the food category. There's no rush for me to cultivate." Lin Pangpang continued answering.

"Damn, Little Fatty, you're food category and you're still doing this?"

"Brother Wang, what are you saying? We still need to make a living."

"Little Fatty, I'm not bragging, but in our Dragon Nation, food-category Spirit Martial Artists are pampered wherever they go. Don't be so modest. How about this—fry another twenty yuan's worth for me. I'm afraid I might not get another chance to eat these later."

Once the man Pangpang called Brother Wang said that, the other customers also added another ten yuan's worth to their orders. That kept Lin Pangpang incredibly busy.

"It's fine, everyone. We've got time. Take it slow."

Seeing this, Su Wuming felt somewhat conflicted.

Brother Wang was right. Pangpang's food-category talent would be valued wherever he went. He did not need to do this at all. Just the offers from various families would be enough to give him more money than he could spend for the rest of his life.

But Lin Pangpang had turned down those families' offers. The reason was that he demanded Su Wuming be accepted along with him, yet they did not think much of Su Wuming's strength-category talent.

Lin Pangpang had never told him this, but that did not mean Su Wuming did not know. Qin Ming, the class monitor, had once approached him and asked him to persuade Lin Pangpang to join the Qin Family.

He had said, "If you truly see him as a brother, then you shouldn't hold him back and use brotherhood to tie down his future."

Su Wuming did not deny it. Back then, he had been somewhat selfish. He had thought that as a transmigrator, how could he possibly remain unknown? Once he awakened and rose to prominence, what resources could he possibly lack?

On the night before he set out, Pangpang had grumbled nonstop while making those Qi-Blood Sausages for him. But Su Wuming knew Pangpang had only been venting.

Actions proved everything.

Brothers were held in the heart!

The reason they were so close had nothing to do with Su Wuming. It was all thanks to the original owner of this body. Su Wuming had merely benefited from him and gained such a good brother.

At that moment, Su Wuming, who had originally planned to step forward and help, suddenly made a decision in his heart. Then he turned and left.

He headed straight toward the Dark Forest outside the city.

Friendship was mutual, and brotherhood was no different.

I'm grateful that you, the original owner, used your sincerity to make a brother who always thought of you.

Although you hated this world when you were alive, hated your background, hated the misfortunes that befell you, and ultimately chose suicide.

But now that I, Su Wuming, have taken over this body, I will live this life brilliantly for both of us, without leaving behind a single regret.

Likewise, I'll help you take care of this brother you grew up with, because I see him as my brother too. Perhaps there really is a light within him that changed my way of thinking.

Now, Pangpang had given up a bright future for the brotherhood that most people scoffed at.

He did not owe Su Wuming anything.

Then what reason did he, Su Wuming, have to let himself slack off?

I want to become strong—very, very strong. Strong enough that even the gods in heaven must lower their heads before me. Strong enough to shut up everyone who mocked the two of us. Strong enough to let those I care about walk wherever they please.

People had to have goals worth striving for, didn't they?

The system gave you, Su Wuming, such incredible talent, and you're already satisfied just because you unlocked a complete Rubber Constitution?

What about the Eight Gates?

No rush?

Bullshit! You're fucking scared!

You're afraid of being killed by those beasts.

You're too easily satisfied!

No wonder you achieved nothing before transmigrating. You deserve it!

Becoming a Martial King was not something that could be achieved just by talking about it.

Youth should erupt—sweat freely and burn brightly!

As Su Wuming walked, he spurred himself on in his heart.

At this moment, he truly understood that there were no shortcuts on the path of a Spirit Martial Artist.

Even with a system, it was the same!

He could not relax for even a moment.

The only path to becoming stronger was hard work, struggle, and endless battle.

Flowers raised in a greenhouse could not withstand wind and rain.

He would return to the Dark Forest. This time, he would bravely face those beasts and surpass himself again and again.

The best way to overcome fear was to face it head-on.

In that instant, the burning passion he had felt earlier for solo-killing the male Devil Horse—a passion extinguished by the appearance of the beast pack—blazed to life once more.

"I'm taking on ten!!!"

After leaving the city, Su Wuming stood outside the Dark Forest and shouted into its depths.

He did not rush inside. Instead, he sat down cross-legged in the safe area around the forest and took out the Beast Crystals he had obtained during the day.

The system had granted him unparalleled cultivation talent and a powerful physique.

But what he lacked most right now was cultivation.

To be honest, he could not raise his cultivation by much in the remaining five days.

Currently, the person with the highest cultivation level in the class was Qin Ming, the class monitor, at Black Iron Seven-Star. It was said that he could already freely use his awakened ability to assist in cultivation and battle.

But now, he, Su Wuming, had a bold idea.

An idea that would one hundred percent make his cultivation soar!