Promise!

Chapter 16, Pretend

After lunch the next day, Zhuang Jin and Xiong Lei went to the martial arts training ground together for extra training as they had done in the previous few days. There were many more people at the training ground than in the previous days.

After practicing for a while, Xiong Lei's face was filled with uncontrollable surprise. He quietly pulled Zhuang Jin aside to a deserted spot under the shade of a tree and said, "Jinzi, I have completed the first step of controlling the Qi and blood, refining the internal energy, and I have felt the bottleneck that Master Ping mentioned."

Zhuang Jin's expression paused slightly, suppressing the complex emotions in his heart. He sincerely congratulated him, "Brother Xiong, congratulations. Today is our eighth day of martial arts training at the Shen family. According to Master Ping, you will be able to complete the second step of breaking through the bottleneck of martial arts and become a full-fledged martial artist in about fifteen or sixteen days."

He asked curiously, "By the way, Brother Xiong, what does it feel like to be in a bottleneck?"

"What's that feeling? It's just... it's just..."

It was a difficult feeling to describe. Xiong Lei stuttered for a long time, unable to articulate it. Suddenly, an idea struck him. Combining Ping Yongfeng's metaphor for the bottleneck with his own experience, he said, "The bottleneck is like the bamboo membrane of a bamboo tube, as Master Ping mentioned. Using inner energy to wear down the bottleneck is like poking it with a tender willow branch!"

As he spoke, he formed a circle with his left hand and poked inward with his right index finger, "When this membrane is broken, it will be the bottleneck of a warrior. Then you will become a true warrior."

Zhuang Jin watched Xiong Lei talking and demonstrating, and suddenly couldn't help laughing.

Xiong Lei was surprised by Zhuang Jin's smile and realized that his actions seemed a bit obscene.

Although he had not experienced sex, he knew something about it. He had seen a male dog lying on the back of a female dog and moving it up and down. He had moved closer to take a closer look and even wanted to separate them for a closer look. Then he was beaten by his father and cried out in laughter... At this moment, he came to his senses and started laughing.

The sunlight filtered through the swaying trees, casting mottled and tiny spots of light. The two of them laughed heartily, and for a moment they seemed to have forgotten all their fatigue and worries.

……

That night, Zhuang Jin and Xiong Lei came back from extra practice and heard Wang Rui asking others about their progress again.

Ever since the argument that night when Hou Yong came, Wang Rui had fallen out with the two of them and stopped asking them. However, he still asked the other people in the dormitory as usual.

As usual, the other martial artists all answered that they didn't feel anything.

Only Bi Kai seemed to be suppressing something. When Wang Rui finally asked him, he couldn't wait to speak: "Hey, the first step of controlling the Qi and blood? I did it today. I thought it would take ten days, but I didn't expect to do it on the ninth day. How did it feel? Not much. I just kept practicing and controlling the Qi and blood, and refined the first trace of internal energy."

Wang Rui: ...

Other martial artists in the dormitory: ...

You really fooled me!

Zhuang Jin looked at Wang Rui's uncomfortable expression as if he had eaten shit, and shook his head slightly. Just as he had thought before, asking others about progress (answers) would only make himself uncomfortable anyway, so why bother?
Xiong Lei was also watching the fun with great interest. He also controlled his emotions and naturally did not envy Bi Kai. It was just very interesting to see the other people in the dormitory who were obviously feeling sour and envious, but still had to smile and congratulate others.

……

The next day, when the news of Bi Kai's manipulation of qi and blood spread, because Xiang Qichen had been manipulating qi and blood for two or three days, the martial artists' hearts, which had relaxed a little, became tense again. No matter if it was lunch or after dinner, the martial arts training ground was bustling with activity. Especially as the period of at least half a month, which was the level of upper-middle qualification mentioned by Ping Yongfeng, was getting closer and closer, this trend became more and more intense.

Time flew by, and a few days passed until November 14th, the fourteenth day since Zhuang Jin and his group of martial artists had begun their training at the Shen family. That morning, after Ping Yongfeng had led the students through several rounds of standing meditation, Xiang Qichen suddenly raised his hand with a look of ecstasy, announcing that he had broken through the bottleneck of becoming a second-step martial artist. Amidst the astonishment of the other students, he stepped forward and gently pressed on a wooden board, leaving a palm print.

"Becoming a formal warrior in fourteen days, great, great, great!"

Ping Yongfeng clapped his hands in admiration. Although he knew on the seventh day that Xiang Qichen had a good command of qi and blood and was a potential warrior, he was still quite happy that it had finally happened today and the dust had settled. Well, with Xiang Qichen as a true warrior, his own target for this month had been met and at least he wouldn't be deducted any money.

Delighted, he personally took Xiang Qichen away to move rooms. After a while, he came back and called Bi Kai and Xiong Lei to give them some pointers, sharing his own experiences in breaking through the bottleneck.

Bi Kai spoke publicly with Ping Yongfeng on the second day of his Qi and Blood Control, while Xiong Lei went to Ping Yongfeng privately. Before going, Xiong Lei asked Zhuang Jin for his opinion on whether to disclose his progress to Ping Yongfeng after completing the first step of Qi and Blood Control. Zhuang Jin analyzed the pros and cons of both going and going. Not going would keep his progress secret, reduce jealousy, and avoid potential trouble. Going would gain Ping Yongfeng's attention and potentially offer some insights into breaking through bottlenecks. Xiong Lei considered the matter and ultimately decided to go privately.

For Ping Yongfeng, Xiang Qichen is now the minimum target, but if Bi Kai and Xiong Lei, the two warrior seeds, also succeed, it means that the target has been exceeded, and each warrior who exceeds the target will be rewarded with five cents of silver!

Many martial artists were also greatly stimulated by Xiang Qichen's success, especially since there was only a day left before the half-month deadline, but they had not yet completed the first step of controlling the qi and blood, which made them increasingly anxious.

Zhuang Jin noticed the changes in the martial artists in the training ground. They became more impetuous and eager for quick success. Many of them practiced quickly over and over again in a panic, but ended up messing up their standing meditation. Perhaps they were pursuing a high number of times to deceive themselves and it would bring some psychological comfort?

He shook his head slightly, and persisted at his own pace, neither slow nor long.

……

That day, after extra training after dinner, Zhuang Jin and Xiong Lei went back together.

On the way, Xiong Lei said, "Jinzi, I feel like my martial arts bottleneck is about to be broken. I should be able to become a true martial artist in the next two days."

"Brother Xiong is awesome."

"Jinzi, what about you?"

"I was almost there too." Zhuang Jin said.

He almost controlled the Qi and blood and refined the internal energy.

Although his health was somewhat impaired due to his previous life, he had been consistent since the first day, practicing with self-discipline, pondering and understanding carefully. Diligence can make up for one's shortcomings, and coupled with his own certain qualifications, he had finally reached this point today.

"I have a clear understanding of myself. Within three days, I will be able to complete the first step of controlling the Qi and blood and refining the internal energy. So, will it take a total of sixteen or seventeen days to complete the first step?"

"Master Ping said that the first and second steps take roughly the same amount of time, but my health is weak, which is not conducive to the first step. If I can complete the first step in sixteen or seventeen days, my true aptitude is probably slightly better than that of someone with a normal body who can complete the first step in sixteen or seventeen days. Breaking through the bottleneck of the warrior in the second step may not take as long as sixteen or seventeen days. I still hope to complete the second step before a month and become a true warrior."

……

(End of this chapter)