Here to Claim the Spot!

For seven straight days, Tang San could not get out of bed. Old Jack, on the other hand, had more or less recovered after a single day of rest.

Chu Chen had not been idle during those seven days, either. Besides looking after his grandfather, he practiced Dou Qi every day without fail.

Perhaps it was because of his powerful Soul Force, or perhaps he had already been on the verge of a breakthrough.

Whatever the reason, seven days after awakening his Martial Soul, Chu Chen finally reached Four-Stage Dou Qi!

Ah, breaking through feels great...

He was still beside the stream outside the village, in the same clearing as always.

Chu Chen opened his eyes in satisfaction and rolled his neck, producing a crisp series of cracks. He clenched his fist, felt the strength filling his body, and smiled.

Now that I've reached the fourth stage, I'm in the intermediate phase of Dou Qi cultivation. It's just...

Chu Chen thought it over, his brows drawing together slightly.

He had discovered a small problem with his cultivation.

As everyone knew, whether it was Soul Power, Dou Qi, or the internal energy Tang San cultivated through the Mysterious Heaven Skill, they were all fundamentally ways for a cultivator to absorb the world's Origin Energy and strengthen themselves.

The methods and the rules of each plane differed, resulting in slightly different forms. That was all.

It was perfectly normal for the energy within a cultivator's body to be converted. Tang San's Soul Power, for instance, came from converting his internal energy.

The same had been true when Chu Chen tested his Innate Soul Power, except that he had converted Dou Qi.

But now, when he tried to convert Dou Qi into Soul Power, something seemed to be blocking the process!

When he had only been at Three-Stage Dou Qi, every bit of Dou Qi in his body could be converted into Soul Power.

Now that he had broken through, however, Chu Chen found that no matter what he did, a portion of his Dou Qi refused to budge.

It was like a beaker filled with water and mercury. Both were liquids, yet no amount of shaking would make them mix.

Remembering how Tang San, in the original story, had been unable to break through the first bottleneck of the Mysterious Heaven Skill before obtaining his first soul ring, Chu Chen guessed that the rules governing Douluo Continent were to blame.

Of course, Chu Chen was not worried in the slightest.

If my Soul Power Level can't advance, what's that got to do with my Dou Qi?

Douluo Continent might have rules that imposed limits, but had he not just reached Four-Stage Dou Qi without any trouble?

What?

You're saying even Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill couldn't break through?

Come on. A martial arts internal-energy technique shouldn't pretend it can compete with a fantasy cultivation system, all right?

One belongs to a low-powered martial arts world, the other to a mid-to-high-powered one. They're on completely different levels. There's no point forcing the comparison...

At this pace, I might even become a Dou Zhe within a year without Foundation Building Spirit Liquid or Qi Gathering Powder... Chu Chen thought happily. Just then, he heard someone calling to him in the distance.

He turned to see the little ones who had awakened their Martial Souls alongside him running toward the river in a panic.

"Hey, slow down! You'll fall!"

Chu Chen called out and hurried to meet them. As they drew close, he slipped his right hand into his pocket, actually taking out some malt candy Old Jack had bought from the Flame Ji Ring.

"After the candy in my pocket, are you? You came rushing over so fast, you might knock your teeth out. Then you'll talk with a whistle like Little Scumbag!"

Chu Chen laughed as he prepared to hand out the candy, but this time, he had guessed wrong.

The children did not immediately take the candy he offered. They stared at him anxiously, too breathless from running to speak.

A few seconds later, Er Pang, the sturdiest of them, finally caught his breath and blurted out, "Big Dummy Chen, hurry home and take a look! Blacksmith Tang brought Little Scumbag to your house looking for a fight!"

"What?!"

The smile vanished from Chu Chen's face. His fingers opened reflexively, and the handful of candy fell to the ground.

An icy air seemed to radiate from him, and a murderous glint appeared in his eyes.

"Er Pang, say that again. What happened at my house?"

"Uh... nothing's happened yet, I don't think..."

Clearly startled by Chu Chen's gaze, Er Pang stammered out an explanation.

"I just know the Tang father and son went to your house, and then half the village followed..."

Before he could finish, Chu Chen was already striding away. Only his voice drifted back to them.

"Thanks, Er Pang. Thanks for coming, everyone. I'm going home. You can have the candy on the ground. It's wrapped, so it won't be dirty..."

Then his voice faded too. Chu Chen had already disappeared from the children's sight.

"Big Dummy Chen's really scary now..." one child murmured, earning a fierce glare from Er Pang.

"Don't call him Big Dummy Chen. It's Brother Chen now!"

"Right! Did you see what happened to Little Scumbag? All because he called Brother Chen by a nickname!"

"My dad says Brother Chen's going to be someone important. I heard Soul Masters get to eat three big white buns every day!"

"Your dad doesn't know a thing. I bet Brother Chen will get at least five big white buns a day, maybe even meat sauce to go with them!"

"My dad said three!"

"It's definitely five!"

"Three!"

"Five!"

While the children outside the village argued fiercely over how many big white buns an important person like a Soul Master could eat each day, Chu Chen finally rushed back home.

Before he even reached the gate, he saw villagers of every age packed around his courtyard.

Everyone was talking at once, and none of them was quiet. Amid the commotion, Chu Chen made out what had happened at his house and breathed a sigh of relief.

It was not that serious after all. Tang Hao had changed his mind and brought Tang San to demand the Work-Study Student Spot from Old Jack.

Old Jack naturally refused. They had settled who would get the spot days ago.

Tang Hao had insisted, in front of more than half the village, that he did not want it. Now he came to take it back? It could not be that easy.

During the standoff, some passing villager had apparently spread the news, leading to the scene before Chu Chen.

Man, there really isn't much to do for fun in the countryside. One family has an argument, and hundreds of people show up to watch?

Chu Chen was baffled—and honestly stunned.

Still, in his eyes, having so many people gathered was a good thing.

No matter how strong or fierce Tang Hao was, surely he would not commit murder in front of the entire village?

With things like this, there probably won't be a fight...

Chu Chen silently weighed the situation, then pushed past the villagers in front of him, young and old, forcing a path to his home.

"Grandpa, I'm back. What's all the excitement about?"