Breakthrough!

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

These disciples had innate talent much like his own. They usually ate 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 a day's Blood Vitality consumption, so it meant little.

They normally saw Zhou Chen practice the Stake-Standing Exercise as though he never knew fatigue and assumed the Qi-Blood Soup was effective. In truth, it was the large amounts of Black Meat he ate every day that supported such ruthless training!

Not to mention that innate talent determined one's upper limit. Throwing a mountain of silver at a good-for-nothing could indeed turn them into a Martial Warrior, but spending the same money on someone with better innate talent could cultivate two Martial Warriors with brighter futures.

Senior Sister Liu and Senior Sister Sun often moved about the courtyard, and they had long since quietly assessed 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 Senior Brother went to ask, the two senior sisters would most likely only give him face and come over to go through the motions.

Still, getting some support for free was a good thing. Zhou Chen did not even have money left to buy Black Meat now.

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

Senior Sister Liu wore a dark green long dress. Her steps were graceful, and a smile lingered on her lips as she chatted on and off with Lian Taoze, occasionally covering her mouth as she laughed softly.

Senior Sister Sun, meanwhile, wore a plain blue dress. Her features were ordinary, her face expressionless, and she exuded an air of cold indifference.

Du Song and the others hurriedly straightened their chests, held their breaths, and tried their best to stand a little straighter.

As usual, Senior Sister Liu stepped forward and asked each of them a few questions about their training progress, offering gentle encouragement as well, yet she never mentioned the word "support."

The light in the eyes of those disciples she had 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 middling innate talent back then, which already placed him among the best in the courtyard. After a brief moment of consideration, she nodded and agreed to support him.

Liang Hu was so excited that his face flushed red. He repeatedly thanked Senior Sister Liu, and his knees bent as he nearly dropped to the ground to kowtow. Only when Senior Sister Liu gave him a token lift did he avoid kneeling.

The surrounding disciples watched with eyes green with envy.

When they reached Zhou Chen, Lian Taoze deliberately added a few more words. "Junior Brother Zhou has been at the martial hall for a month and a half. Every day, he arrives first and leaves last, and he is courteous to others as well. Martial training values diligence enough to make up for shortcomings. With Junior Brother Zhou's steadfast temperament, the two junior sisters might as well pay him a little more attention."

But Senior Sister Sun merely gave Zhou Chen a faint glance before withdrawing her gaze. She said nothing.

To her, only those with at least middling innate talent were worth supporting. Anyone below that was out of the question.

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 wanted to come as well, she would not even have been bothered to make this trip.

Liu Fei, however, did not reject him outright. She smiled and nodded at Zhou Chen. "When practicing martial arts, one must also know when to relax and when to push. Junior Brother Zhou, diligence is a good thing, but do not rush things too much. 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 came to Du Song, the result was the same. Liu Fei offered him some encouragement, and Du Song's smile immediately became strained, as though he were about to cry.

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

That was also a polite refusal.

After the two women returned to the inner courtyard and smilingly saw Lian Taoze off, Sun Yingying finally could not hold it in any longer. Turning to Liu Fei, she began complaining, "We wasted half the day for nothing. What was there to see among those crooked melons and cracked dates? Not a single one can make it. Yet you went and gave away one of your slots for free. That Liang Hu is only so-so too. Whether he can break through within three months is still up in the air, if you ask me."

Liu Fei pursed her lips and smiled, not particularly concerned. "It is only one slot. Giving Senior Brother some face is not a loss."

She paused, then changed the subject. "But you did not also go along with the flow and give one away? 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, after enduring for three months, he may not lack hope of breaking through."

"Why did you not give him one, then?" Sun Yingying shot her a sidelong glance.

"Did I not already give one to Liang Hu?" Liu Fei blinked. "Had I known Senior Brother would specifically mention Zhou Chen, I might have given it to him instead. One slot is already my limit. If I gave away another for free, I could not bear the responsibility when my family asked."

"Anyway, I will not consider it." Sun Yingying waved a hand, her tone certain. "He has been drinking an extra bowl of Qi-Blood Soup for a month and a half without the slightest movement. Clearly, his innate talent has already reached its limit. Supporting him would just be throwing money away."

"Maybe he will break through tomorrow?" Liu Fei teased casually.

"Absolutely impossible." Sun Yingying cut her off decisively. "Enough, stop talking about it. My family nags me about marriage every day until my head aches, and now this has added another vexing matter."

Elsewhere, a crowd had already gathered around Liang Hu, who had received support, and congratulations rose one after another.

The disciples who had not been chosen wore undisguised disappointment on their faces.

Du Song squatted dejectedly by the base of a wall, absentmindedly drawing circles in the dirt with a twig. With a bitter face, he said, "Chen, have you thought over what I said before? Let us go back and sell sesame cakes together. I have seen it clearly—we simply do not have that fate!"

Zhou Chen glanced at him, patted his shoulder, and encouraged him, "Do not say such dispiriting things. Practice one moment more, and there will be 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 arrived home, Zhou Chen had just pushed open the door when Zhou Yu heard the sound and darted over like a little sparrow, throwing her arms around him. "Big Brother, you are back!"

"I am back. How did the fish sell today?"

"Really well!" Zhou Yu tipped up her smiling face. "Father brought back lots of fish today, and there was little contamination. So many people came to buy them—we sold seven or eight copper coins' worth!"

Zhang Fang wiped her hands by the stove, her face also blooming with a smile. "If we could sell seven or eight copper coins' worth every day, in just a few years we could save enough money to get you a wife. Then you could have several big, chubby sons, and your father and I would be content."

Zhou Chen smiled but did not respond.

He merely lowered his head and stroked his little sister's sparse yellow hair. A patch of warmth filled his heart, and the exhaustion from a full day of martial training seemed to vanish.

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

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

There was no time to lose. Tonight, he would break through!

Zhou Chen slowly assumed the opening stance of the Stake-Standing Exercise, mobilizing the Blood Vitality throughout his body. Then he abruptly lit the Mist Incense and let out a low shout!

"Break for me!"