The Power of the Jade Marrow Crystal

After seeing everyone off, Yang Sheng chatted briefly with his father.

He gave his father a simplified version of what had happened today, leaving out the dangerous parts and telling him only the result.

After all, there was no benefit in letting his father know how perilous his recent experiences had been. His father had no way to help him and would only worry himself sick. He might even do something foolish in a moment of panic.

Like borrowing money to give to Li Yan again.

Yang Sheng's father was overjoyed when he heard that Yang Sheng had passed the school's test without incident today.

"My son has really made something of himself. So many people came looking for you just now. I could tell they all wanted to... what was it... sign you. Sign a contract with you."

"I don't understand these things very well, but I completely respect your choice. You have your own plans, so do whatever you think is right. Your dad supports you."

Yang Sheng picked up the water on the table and took a sip.

"Dad, I can make money now. You have to believe me. What I said before is slowly coming true. Rest well at home these days. This is a critical time. Only if you're safe and settled can I focus on training."

Yang Sheng had good reason to think this way. He had just defeated Li Ya, and his personal reputation at Bay City Martial Arts High School had reached an extremely high level.

His fame had spread through this test.

The more attention he drew, the more likely he was to be targeted.

The people coming to him now were offering friendly contracts, but who knew what dangerous things might come looking for him in the future.

It was always wise to prepare for danger in times of peace.

"Alright, Dad will listen to you. You've grown up now. It's time for you to take charge of this family."

Yang Sheng took ten thousand yuan from his pocket.

This was the reward he had received for advancing his rank in the Stellar Martial Arts Match System. He had withdrawn it when buying medicinal supplements that afternoon.

He had originally planned to use the money for household expenses, which was why he had not spent it on the supplements.

"Tomorrow, tidy up the living room a little. Buy a bigger coffee table and some more chairs. There may be a lot of visitors in the future. It won't look good if everyone has to stand around."

Yang Sheng's father took the money.

"Alright. Your Martial Arts Entrance Exam is coming up soon too. I won't drive for work these next few days. I'll stay home and get things in order."

After handling these trivial matters with his father, Yang Sheng returned to his room.

With a thought, the progress bar appeared.

[Dark Force Initiation (1/500)]

Seeing the number five hundred, Yang Sheng sucked in a sharp breath.

Back when he was at Bright Force Initiation, he had needed only one hundred progress points.

And back then, he could practically gain one point with every punch.

But now, reaching Dark Force Initiation actually required five hundred points.

What was more, he had fought a battle today, yet he had gained only one point of progress.

It could be said that advancing in Dark Force was several times, perhaps even dozens of times, harder than advancing in Bright Force.

"No wonder Li Yan had to rely on medicinal supplements every day after reaching Great Completion of Bright Force. Training itself had become secondary."

He laid out the medicinal supplements he had bought today on the bed.

Blood Essence Grass was the cheapest, and he had bought the most of it.

It was somewhat like a health potion in a game. It could quickly replenish stamina and restore energy.

Yang Sheng knew that Li Yan and Li Ya often consumed Blood Essence Grass.

One stalk of Blood Essence Grass could keep them full of energy and in peak condition for an entire day.

He had seen Ironthread Vine and Copperbone Flower before, but he had never seen anyone consume Jade Marrow Crystal.

After all, one crystal cost ten thousand yuan. Even an Upper Registry child like Li Yan could not afford to eat them like meals every day.

"After oral consumption, its medicinal power reaches the marrow cavity directly, stimulating hematopoietic stem cells to divide at high speed. It doubles the energy carriers in the blood, greatly extending a martial artist's combat time and improving endurance."

Yang Sheng stared at the small jade-green crystal and muttered its effects aloud.

"Is it really that miraculous? Let's give it a try."

He tossed the Jade Marrow Crystal into his mouth.

The instant the crystal touched his mouth, it rapidly melted.

It tasted faintly sweet, somewhat like rock candy.

After melting, the crystal quickly seeped into Yang Sheng's internal organs, passed through his muscles, and penetrated his bone marrow.

At once, every muscle in Yang Sheng's body began to twitch, and his skin visibly turned blood-red.

His blood was surging at high speed.

A clarity unlike anything he had ever felt swept through Yang Sheng's entire body.

He immediately sat cross-legged and began regulating his breathing.

This was the breathing method of Eight Extremes Fist. It could neutralize to the greatest extent the violent force produced by a martial artist's training.

Sure enough, after regulating his breathing, the blood racing through his body gradually calmed down.

But the temperature of his blood remained extremely high.

Yang Sheng felt as though his entire body were burning. He decisively rolled out of bed and rushed out the door.

He went to the restroom across the road, turned on the tap, and let icy water pour over his head. White steam hissed into the air.

He continued like that for half an hour before feeling the temperature of his body drop slightly.

"The medicinal power of a single crystal is actually this strong!"

Yang Sheng cupped his face with his hands, feeling the temperature gradually fall.

"It made my internal heat this intense!"

"If there hadn't been water to cool me down, something might have gone wrong."

Yang Sheng let out a long breath.

When he focused inward and checked the progress bar, he froze in shock.

[Dark Force Initiation (52/500)]

One Jade Marrow Crystal had directly given him fifty progress points!

Yang Sheng's heart burned with excitement, and he wondered whether he should swallow the other two as well.

But after thinking it over, he felt it would be better not to rush things.

Perhaps this was only the effect of the first crystal. Taking several in succession might not work nearly as well.

With that thought, Yang Sheng gave up on the idea. He returned to his room and sat in meditation while regulating his breathing, digesting and absorbing the insights he had gained from the daytime battle.

Meanwhile, in the Chen Family's living room.

Guo Rui sat on the sofa with tears streaming down her face, still sobbing without pause.

Aunt Chen wore a cold expression as she said to Guo Rui, "When will you understand that your own feelings aren't important?"

"You need to know that the Chamber of Commerce's business is what matters most."

"I have my own thoughts. Why do you get to decide for me? I want my own love, not the love you forcibly arranged for me!"

Aunt Chen sneered. "Love? Do you know how you got the status of a Lower-Registry Wealthy Household? Back then, your mother came from the same village as Yang Sheng's hometown."

"I had dreams and ambitions too. I also hoped to build a life from nothing through my own efforts. But what happened in the end? I still had to marry your father to obtain the status of a wealthy household."

"Later, I divorced your father and only then received half the property. Otherwise, where would you have gotten the money to attend Martial Arts High School? Where would you have gotten the money to buy clothes?"