Shortening the time

"How long has it been since you joined the martial arts school to train?"

Guo Wei's eyes were filled with disbelief.

"One year, two months, and a few days."

After answering, Zhang Lingfeng added, "I broke through to Dark Force a few days ago."

"Earlier than Ye Fan? Your root bones have clearly closed, yet you managed to unlock both the skin and flesh shackles, then master Ming Jin and Dark Force in succession in just one year and two months. It seems you must have an exceptional physique, making you a relatively rare kind of cultivator."

His face full of amazement, Guo Wei could not help analyzing the situation.

He knew Zhang Lingfeng's strength and root bones could not be faked.

"Then how does this physique of mine compare to Junior Brother Ye's top-grade root bones?"

Zhang Lingfeng asked.

"Well... your main disadvantage is the age at which you started practicing martial arts."

Guo Wei could not quite judge it on the spot.

But the more he looked at Zhang Lingfeng, the more pleasing he found him. Perhaps the school would produce two disciples who reached Transforming Jin. Then he could rest easy.

Guo Wei had no children.

He needed his disciples to look after him in his old age.

That was why, upon discovering Ye Fan's top-grade root bones, he had cherished him and devoted himself wholeheartedly to nurturing him, hoping only that Ye Fan would inherit his mantle and let him enjoy his twilight years in comfort.

He had never expected a Zhang Lingfeng to suddenly emerge as well. It had truly caught him off guard.

Moreover, this fellow was far more seasoned than Ye Fan. It was just that his root bones had closed, so his future potential might not reach Ye Fan's level.

"This is the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist, Lower Part. It includes the internal cultivation method. Take it and train diligently. Once you have built up sufficient Qi and blood, perhaps you too will be able to attempt a breakthrough to Transforming Jin someday."

Guo Wei promptly handed the lower-part fist manual to Zhang Lingfeng.

Zhang Lingfeng knew he could not obtain the thirteenth move yet. The same went for Ye Fan.

"Thank you, Master. I will train diligently and certainly won't disappoint you."

Zhang Lingfeng's face was full of gratitude.

He then opened the fist manual to examine it.

The moves had not changed. Only the breathing, the circulation of Qi and blood, and the steps for releasing force had changed.

Guo Wei guided him from the side.

Soon, some text appeared before Zhang Lingfeng.

[Subsidy target detected.]

[Host: High-grade root bones, closed]

[Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist, Lower Part: Time to mastery: six years. Subsidy: three years. Actual time to mastery: three years.]

[Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist, Lower Part: (1/600)]

Three years?

In three years, unless Ye Fan fails another attempt to break through to Transforming Jin, the thirteenth move and everything in the school will certainly fall into his hands.

Zhang Lingfeng felt somewhat disappointed.

He had not expected closed root bones to pose such an enormous obstacle.

If his root bones had not closed, the actual time needed to master it would certainly have been shorter. With the subsidy policy added in, he definitely would not lose to Ye Fan's top-grade root bones.

Now, his main advantage over Ye Fan lay in guaranteed success. Once the time came, he would be able to break through to Transforming Jin, without facing the possibility of failure and injury as Ye Fan did.

"What are you thinking about?"

Guo Wei saw Zhang Lingfeng's expression dim, as though something had troubled him.

"I heard from Senior Brother Ma and the others that breaking through to Transforming Jin depends not only on talent and ability, but also on cultivation resources.

"I heard the Qi and Blood Pills from the Great Pharmacy can strengthen Qi and blood and are a great help with cultivation.

"Junior Brother Ye reminded me that if I ever needed to buy Qi and Blood Pills, I could contact the Great Pharmacy through you, Master.

"But Qi and Blood Pills are so expensive. How could I... afford them? I'm just afraid that in the future..."

The more Zhang Lingfeng spoke, the quieter his voice became and the lower his head sank.

Guo Wei's expression gradually grew stern. How could he fail to understand what Zhang Lingfeng meant? This fellow actually dared to shake him down.

But in the end, he opened a drawer and tossed Zhang Lingfeng a medicine box. "Like Ye Fan, you are one of the disciples I value most. Consider this Qi and Blood Pill a reward from your master."

"Thank you, Master."

Zhang Lingfeng was overjoyed.

He knew Guo Wei had no children and certainly would not hang himself from a single tree. Now that he had seen Zhang Lingfeng's potential, he might not nurture him as he did Ye Fan, but he certainly would not neglect him anymore.

"Focus all your attention on cultivation. If you can earn scholarly honors next year, even as a mere third-class licentiate, that would be countless times better than any Warm Breeze Hall or Baile Gang."

Guo Wei reminded him.

"Yes, Master."

Zhang Lingfeng nodded.

He knew Guo Wei's hands and eyes reached the heavens. How could he not know what had happened in Baile Ward?

To an expert of his stature, gang conflicts on this scale were beneath notice.

After leaving Guo Wei's courtyard, Zhang Lingfeng could not resist opening the medicine box. Inside lay a black pill with a smooth, lustrous finish. It was indeed a Qi and Blood Pill from the Great Pharmacy.

Judging by its appearance, it should be high-grade. A single pill cost at least five hundred taels, equivalent to half a year's salary for an ordinary Dark Force expert, or a year's income from the old Zhang Clan's nearly two thousand mu of land.

[Subsidy target detected.]

[Qi and Blood Pill: Can add one month of cultivation. Subsidy: one month. Actual cultivation added: two months.]

Suddenly, two lines of text popped up before his eyes.

Zhang Lingfeng froze midstep.

Add cultivation?

Just as I thought!

He looked at the Qi and Blood Pill in his hand, then at the two lines before his eyes, and tossed the pill straight into his mouth.

The pill did not melt in his mouth.

He had to chew and swallow it, and it had a sour, astringent taste. Someone taking it for the first time might be unable to keep from spitting it out.

Zhang Lingfeng's features twisted as he forced himself to swallow it.

[Cultivation subsidy successful.]

[Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist, Lower Part: (33/600)]

The next moment, the panel changed.

The progress bar for the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist, Lower Part, went from one out of six hundred to thirty-three out of six hundred. The time had shortened by two months.

This... it really worked!

Damn it, no wonder Ye Fan could keep attempting breakthroughs after failing to reach Dark Force. If I'd known Qi and Blood Pills had this effect, would that bastard ever have had a chance to strut around in front of me?

Zhang Lingfeng could not contain his wild joy, mixed with regret and emotion at not having learned of this shortcut sooner.

But he soon realized that only cultivation resources like Qi and Blood Pills, which could directly enhance Qi and blood and increase cultivation, could receive subsidies.

Ordinary meat and Qi-and-blood tonics had no such effect at all.

Of course, if Qi and Blood Pills could subsidize cultivation, potent medicines with even better effects would certainly do the same.

That meant that as long as he had enough Qi and Blood Pills, or equivalent cultivation resources, he could break through to Transforming Jin before Ye Fan.

He could obtain Guo Wei's legacy and learn that thirteenth move.

The discovery left Zhang Lingfeng unable to suppress the urge to go out and give Ye Fan a savage beating. No matter what, he came from a landowning family. Ye Fan, from a butcher's family, actually dared to give him attitude. He truly did not know what was good for him!

Brimming with joy, he returned to the rented house for a meal and told Zhang Pingping that Guo Wei had learned he had mastered Dark Force and rewarded him with a Qi and Blood Pill.

He also mentioned that Qi and Blood Pills were a great help to his cultivation, but were rather expensive. Even Guo Wei only took one every two months.

Zhang Pingping understood what Zhang Lingfeng meant and handed him a property deed.

"Isn't this Wang Biao's courtyard?"

Zhang Lingfeng exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes. Wang Biao delivered it himself just now. He wants you to let Wang Fang off."

Zhang Pingping explained.

Zhang Lingfeng had taken a fancy to Wang Biao's courtyard long ago. When he came to the county town to learn martial arts, Zhang Pingping had even considered having him stay at Wang Biao's place.

But Zhang Da knew Wang Biao would not agree, so he had rented a courtyard near the martial arts school for the siblings instead.

"Has Sanshi gone to find Wang Fang?"

Zhang Lingfeng asked.

"He originally planned to take Xiaohu and sneak into the Wang Family's residence tonight."

Zhang Pingping said.

"So before we've even made a move, she already knows we're going after her."

Zhang Lingfeng felt some admiration for Wang Fang. She really was no lamp that spared its oil.

"If we didn't have to end up on opposing sides, I really would be rather reluctant to part with her."

Zhang Pingping sighed.

A starved camel was still bigger than a horse. The nearly thousand mu of land the Wang Family still possessed truly made one's eyes burn with envy.

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