Breakthrough!

Zhou Chen said nothing, unwilling to pour cold water on Du Song and the others.

These disciples had constitutions much like his own. What they ate every day was coarse rice, cabbage, and other foods with little nutrition. Their daily dietary supplements could not keep up; even an extra bowl of Qi-Blood Soup could not support an entire day's expenditure of qi and blood. It meant little.

They usually saw Zhou Chen practicing the Stake-Standing Exercise as though he never tired, and thought the Qi-Blood Soup was doing the trick. But in truth, it was only because he ate large quantities of Black Meat every day that he could sustain such ruthless training!

Not to mention that one's constitution determined one's upper limit. Throwing heaps of silver at it could indeed turn a worthless fool into a Martial Warrior, but spending that same money on someone with better constitution could cultivate two Martial Warriors with brighter prospects.

Senior Sister Liu and Senior Sister Sun often moved about the courtyard, and had long since secretly sized up everyone's aptitude. Anyone with genuine potential had already been promised support.

As for people like them, who had received no attention even now, even if Eldest Senior Brother went to ask, the two senior sisters would most likely only give him face and come over to put on a show.

Still, being able to receive some extra support for nothing was a good thing. After all, Zhou Chen no longer even had money to buy Black Meat.

Sure enough, before long, Senior Sisters Liu and Sun came over behind Lian Taoze, smiling sweetly.

Senior Sister Liu wore a long dark-green dress. Her steps were graceful, a smile curled at her lips as she chatted with Lian Taoze now and then, occasionally covering her mouth with a soft laugh.

Senior Sister Sun, meanwhile, wore plain blue robes. Her features were ordinary, her face nearly expressionless, and she gave off an air of cold indifference.

Du Song and the others hurriedly puffed out their chests, held their breaths, and tried to stand as straight as possible.

As usual, Senior Sister Liu stepped forward and asked each of them a few questions about their training progress, then offered gentle encouragement. Yet she never once mentioned the word "support."

The light in the eyes of those disciples who had been questioned gradually dimmed, and the smiles on their faces could no longer hold.

Fortunately, when she reached a youth named Liang Hu, Senior Sister Liu paused. He had tested as having a middling constitution, making him one of the best in the courtyard. After a brief moment of consideration, she nodded and agreed to support him.

Liang Hu was so excited his face flushed red. He repeatedly said, "Thank you, Senior Sister," and his knees bent as he nearly dropped to the ground to kowtow. Only Senior Sister Liu's empty-handed gesture of support kept him from falling.

The disciples beside him watched with envy so fierce their eyes nearly turned green.

When she reached Zhou Chen, Lian Taoze deliberately said a few more words. "Junior Brother Zhou has been at the martial hall for a month and a half. He arrives first every day and leaves last, and he treats others with courtesy. Martial arts values diligence enough to make up for clumsiness. With Junior Brother Zhou's resolute temperament, you two junior sisters should perhaps pay him a little more attention."

But Senior Sister Sun merely gave Zhou Chen an indifferent glance before withdrawing her gaze, saying nothing.

To her, only those with middling constitutions or better were worth supporting. Those below that were not worth considering at all.

If Lian Taoze had not insisted on dragging them here, spouting those stale old lines about "unpolished jade gathering dust" and "emerald hidden within stubborn stone," and if Liu Fei had not also wanted to come, she would not even have bothered making the trip.

Liu Fei, however, did not shut the door completely. Smiling, she nodded at Zhou Chen. "When practicing martial arts, you must know when to tighten and when to relax. Junior Brother Zhou, diligence is a good thing, but don't rush too hard. Be careful not to injure yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister."

Zhou Chen cupped his hands in reply, already understanding that this was a polite refusal.

When it was Du Song's turn, the result was the same. Liu Fei offered a few words of encouragement, and Du Song's smile immediately became strained, as though he might cry.

In the end, among the seven or eight of them, only Liang Hu received support from Liu Fei. As for Sun Yingying, she merely said flatly, "The final slot requires careful consideration."

In truth, it was another polite refusal.

After the two women returned to the inner courtyard and smilingly saw Lian Taoze off, Sun Yingying could finally no longer hold it in. Turning to Liu Fei, she began to complain. "What a waste of half a day. What was there to see among that bunch of crooked melons and split dates? Not one of them will amount to anything. And you even gave away one of your slots for nothing. That Liang Hu is only mediocre too. Whether he can break through within three months is still up in the air, if you ask me."

Liu Fei pressed her lips together in a smile, not particularly bothered. "It's only one slot. Giving Eldest Senior Brother some face isn't a loss."

She paused, then changed the subject. "But what about you? Aren't you also going along with the current and giving one away? Eldest Senior Brother specifically mentioned that Zhou Chen just now. It seems the two have a good relationship. I heard he drinks a bowl of Qi-Blood Soup every day as well. Even if his aptitude is ordinary, if he endures for three months, he may not have no hope of breaking through."

"Why don't you give one?" Sun Yingying shot her a sidelong glance.

"Didn't I already give one to Liang Hu?" Liu Fei blinked. "Had I known Eldest Senior Brother was going to single out Zhou Chen, I might have given it to him instead. One slot is already my limit. If I give away another for nothing, I can't bear the responsibility when my family asks."

"Either way, I won't consider it." Sun Yingying waved a hand, her tone certain. "He drinks an extra bowl of Qi-Blood Soup, yet after a month and a half there hasn't even been a hint of movement. Clearly, his constitution has already hit its ceiling. Supporting him would just be throwing money away."

"Perhaps he'll break through tomorrow?" Liu Fei casually teased.

"Absolutely impossible." Sun Yingying cut her off decisively. "Enough, stop talking about it. My family pesters me about marriage every day until my head aches, and now there's this added annoyance."

Elsewhere, a crowd had already gathered around the supported Liang Hu, congratulations rising one after another.

The disciples who had not been chosen, meanwhile, wore undisguised disappointment across their faces.

Du Song squatted dejectedly at the base of the wall, absentmindedly drawing circles in the dirt with a twig. With a miserable face, he said, "Ah Chen, what do you think about what I said before? Let's go back and sell sesame cakes together. I've seen enough—we just don't have this fate!"

Zhou Chen glanced at him, patted his shoulder, and encouraged him. "Don't speak such dispirited words. Practice one moment longer, and you gain one more measure of hope."

He had not held much expectation to begin with, so naturally he did not feel disappointed.

Besides, the Divine Statue in his mind was his greatest support.

When the martial hall closed and he reached home, he had just pushed open the door when Zhou Yu heard the sound and flung herself at him like a little sparrow, hugging him. "Brother, you're back!"

"I'm back. How did the fish sell today?"

"It was great!" Zhou Yu lifted her face with a grin. "Father brought back lots of fish today, and there was less contamination. So many people came to buy them—we made seven or eight coppers!"

Zhang Fang wiped her hands beside the stove, her face blooming with a smile as well. "If we can make seven or eight coppers every day, in just a few years we'll save enough money to get you a wife. Then you can give us a few big, chubby sons, and your father and I will be satisfied."

Zhou Chen smiled but did not respond.

He only lowered his head and stroked his little sister's sparse yellow hair. A patch of warmth spread through his heart, and it felt as if even the exhaustion from a full day of martial training had vanished.

After dinner, Zhou Chen returned to his room, shut the door, calmed his mind, and looked at the panel before him.

[Realm: First-Rank Skin Tempering Realm (Initiation) 628/1000]

No time to lose. He would break through tonight!

Zhou Chen slowly assumed the opening stance of the Stake-Standing Exercise and stirred the qi and blood throughout his body. Then he abruptly lit the Mist Incense and shouted!

"Break for me!"