At this moment, Qin Feng had turned into a "man of blood."
Every pore on his body was oozing a black, foul-smelling, viscous liquid. He stood there, teetering on the verge of collapse.
"Go, wash up."
Sun Chan Hall pointed to a cubicle in the corner of the training room.
Qin Feng took a step forward, only to find his legs as heavy as lead.
He took two steps before he could no longer support himself. With a THUD, he collapsed to the ground.
But he didn't give up. Propping himself up with his hands, he crawled toward the cubicle bit by bit.
Sun Chan Hall looked at his back, ultimately choosing not to step forward to help him.
Qin Feng crawled into the cubicle, which contained a small bathroom.
He turned on the showerhead. The freezing water washed over him, carrying away the filthy impurities and clearing his muddled mind significantly.
He could feel it—his body was different now.
It was an unprecedented sensation of lightness and clarity.
His meridians, which had previously been like rusted pipes, were now clear and resilient.
With every breath, he could clearly feel the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth joyously surging into his body.
That heavy, sluggish feeling had been swept away entirely.
The root cause of the illness within him had been eradicated!
He washed for a full twenty minutes, only stopping when the water running off him finally turned clear.
He walked out of the bathroom, and Sun Chan Hall handed him a clean set of training clothes.
"Change into these."
Qin Feng changed his clothes, feeling as though he had been reborn.
"Drink this."
Sun Chan Hall then handed over an unlabeled white metal can.
Qin Feng opened the can, and a refreshing, fragrant scent wafted into his face.
Inside the can was a milky-white liquid emitting a soft halo of light. The Spiritual Energy contained within was a hundred times denser than any Nutrient Liquid he had ever drunk.
Qin Feng didn't hesitate. He tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp.
The warm liquid flowed down his throat, transforming into a massive yet gentle energy that rapidly replenished his depleted body and repaired the hidden injuries left behind from the treatment just now.
Qin Feng felt as if every single cell in his body was cheering with joy.
He stood up straight and bowed deeply toward Sun Chan Hall.
"Master Sun..."
He wanted to express his gratitude, to say that this favor far exceeded the value of 10,000 Yuan, but a thousand words were stuck in his throat.
Sun Chan Hall waved his hand, interrupting him.
"There's no need to thank me."
He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked out at the gray sky, his voice becoming somewhat distant.
"There are many people like you—sickly individuals with poor talent, bullied and looked down upon. However, only a very small number of them ever encounter a strong expert willing to lend a helping hand. The vast majority can only live out their lives in mediocrity."
Sun Chan Hall turned around and looked at Qin Feng.
"I helped you today because I took your money and because I saw that your bones are relatively tough. So, you don't owe me anything."
"Cultivate well and serve the Human Race."
Qin Feng's eyes grew a little hot, and he bowed solemnly once again.
"I will remember."
"Alright."
Sun Chan Hall reverted to his tower-like demeanor. "I've already eradicated the root of your illness. Right now, you are like a blank sheet of paper. For the next month, just stay honestly in the Martial Arts Hall, follow the coaches, and drill the 'Empire Basic Body Refining Technique' into your very bones."
"As for whether you can get into a Martial Arts High School, that will depend on your own aptitude and hard work."
"Yes, sir!"
Qin Feng nodded excitedly.
-----------------
Qin Feng walked out of the private training room that had changed his destiny and returned to the Martial Arts Hall's public training hall.
The alloy door slid shut behind him, isolating Sun Chan Hall's mountain-like figure.
The clamor of training in the hall rushed into his ears once again. The shouts, the muffled thuds of striking targets, and the humming of operating machinery intertwined, brimming with vigorous vitality.
With the root of his illness eradicated, an unprecedented sense of relief filled every inch of his body.
The gentle energy transformed from that mysterious can of milky-white Nutrient Liquid continued to flow slowly within him, repairing the deepest deficits of his body.
Qin Feng could feel his vitality recovering and growing at a speed he had never experienced before.
He raised his wrist and opened his personal terminal.
[Name: Qin Feng]
[Vitality Index: 0.55]
Before entering that training room, his index had only been 0.41.
In less than a short hour, it had increased by 0.14.
This number already surpassed the results of a year of bitter training for many ordinary students.
And this was merely the "restorative growth" after clearing the biggest obstacle on his path forward.
He turned off the terminal and found Li Weiguo, who was currently instructing the students.
Li Weiguo was correcting a student's power generation posture. Seeing Qin Feng approach, he paused his instruction.
"Finished?"
"Yes, Teacher Li."
Qin Feng replied.
Li Weiguo looked him up and down, his gaze lingering on him for a few extra seconds.
He could sense that the aura of this student in front of him seemed somewhat different than before he went in.
That lingering sense of sickliness had vanished, replaced by an introverted vitality.
"Master Sun's methods are truly extraordinary."
Li Weiguo remarked, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible envy.
Let alone spending 10,000 Yuan; even if it cost 100,000 or 1,000,000, if he could beg Sun Chan Hall to guide him just once, he would willingly spend the money.
Unfortunately, Sun Chan Hall only acted as he pleased. When some people came, he only gave them a 10,000 Yuan teaching class. When others came, if he happened to be in a good mood, he would step in and offer guidance.
Everything depended on fate.
And Qin Feng, in Li Weiguo's eyes, was very lucky.
"Your regular class curriculum starts now. Go over there and practice the 'Empire Basic Body Refining Technique' with them."
In that area, over a dozen youths of a similar age to Qin Feng were undergoing basic training, and Liu Xiaoli was among them.
They were the most fundamental students in the Martial Arts Hall, and also the largest group.
"Where is Zhou Heyuan?"
Qin Feng asked.
"He's in Gravity Room Two."
Li Weiguo replied, "Master Sun has devised a specialized training plan for him. Your plan is to build a solid foundation."
The difference in treatment in his words was blatantly obvious.
"Understood."
Qin Feng didn't say anything more. He turned and walked toward the basic training area.
After he left, a student next to Li Weiguo asked curiously, "Coach Li, who is that kid? He doesn't look very old, yet he was actually able to receive Master Sun's personal guidance."
"One of my students."
Li Weiguo replied in a flat tone, "Just got lucky, that's all."
Qin Feng joined the training formation.
He saw Liu Xiaoli.
Liu Xiaoli flashed him a friendly smile, then went back to immersing himself in bitter practice.
He was trying very hard with his movements, but because his physical foundation was weak, he appeared somewhat strained.
Qin Feng didn't start training immediately. Instead, he stood at the back of the line and carefully observed Li Weiguo's teaching.
"Chen Chong! Generate power from your waist! The Body Refining Technique isn't gymnastics. Your strength must rise from your feet, transmit through your waist and hips, and finally pierce through to your arms! The way you're doing it now, your power is entirely scattered!"
"Wang Meng! Breathe! Your breathing rhythm is a mess! Inhale on the 'Mountain Cleaving' stance, and exhale on the 'Sea Suppression' stance! Only by coordinating your breathing can you guide the circulation of your qi and blood!"
"Liu Xiaoli, increase the range of your movements! Don't be afraid of pulling a muscle. The body's potential is entirely forced out at its limits!"
He would accurately point out every student's mistakes without any mercy.
His teaching was rigorous and efficient. Every student who received his guidance showed a visible improvement in their movements.
When he passed by Qin Feng, he similarly offered him guidance, fulfilling his duties as a coach.
Half an hour later, Zhou Heyuan walked out of the Gravity Room.
He was drenched in sweat and his face bore a look of exhaustion, but his eyes were brighter than ever.
Li Weiguo immediately walked over and handed him a bottle of water.
"How was it? Did you find the feel for the 'Spiral Force' that Master Sun taught?"
Li Weiguo's tone carried obvious concern.
"I found it a little."
Zhou Heyuan drank deeply from the water. "Under 1.2 times gravity, a punch thrown with Spiral Force has increased my punching power by 5% compared to before."
"Very good!"
Li Weiguo's face revealed a smile of approval. "To have this kind of progress on the very first day... Your talent truly hasn't gone to waste. Don't get arrogant. Keep it up."
"Thank you, Teacher Li."
Li Weiguo hurried away and hurried back, placing a vial of light-blue Nutrient Liquid into Zhou Heyuan's hands.
His care for Zhou Heyuan formed a sharp contrast with his strictness toward the other students.
Qin Feng took all of this in without a single expression on his face.
He walked over to an empty spot in the formation, spread his feet shoulder-width apart, slowly sank his waist, and assumed the starting stance of the 'Empire Basic Body Refining Technique.'
The surrounding clamor seemed to drift away from him at this moment.
In his world, only he remained, along with this Body Refining Technique that he had practiced for nine years but hadn't truly grasped the doorway to until yesterday.
With the root of his illness eradicated, his body was like a parched sponge, greedily thirsting for the nourishment of energy.
He closed his eyes and began to practice the first movement.
"Mountain Cleaving!"
It was completely different from before.
His previous cultivation had been like pushing a rusty, broken cart laden with boulders arduously along a muddy road.
Now, however, it was like driving a brand-new anti-gravity vehicle, gliding briskly along a smooth maglev track.
The circulation of his qi and blood no longer had the slightest bit of stagnation.
With every movement, he could clearly feel the power rising from the soles of his feet, traveling along his unblocked meridians, and transmitting unimpeded to his limbs and bones.
His muscles, bones, and fascia were all emitting joyous hums.
Right at the instant he completed the first standard movement.
[BEEP!]
That cold voice, which belonged to him alone, rang out in his mind.
A translucent, light-blue light screen floated out of thin air before his eyes.
[Heavenly Dao Rewards Diligence System, loading...]
[Upgrade successful!]
[The Celestial Dao rewards diligence; toil ceaselessly.]
[Host: Qin Feng]
[Vitality Index: 0.55]
[Mastered Refining Methods:]
[Empire Basic Body Refining Technique (Entry Level)]
[Proficiency: 4/100]
[Prompt: When Proficiency reaches 100, it can be upgraded to the Minor Success Realm.]