Chapter 80
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Chapter 80: Cultivation And Techniques
Inside the restaurant, Lei Jun stood up and said, “Let me just say a few words.”
“To achieve such outstanding results in this Martial Arts Competition was completely beyond my wildest expectations.”
“To be honest, given Songyang’s resources, I would have been perfectly satisfied with just scraping into the top ten places.”
“But as it turned out, Zhang Yu took first place and Bai Zhenzhen secured fourth. This just goes to show that my teaching ability is really quite good…”
Seeing Lei Jun’s beaming face, Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, Turns out Old Lei can really blow his own trumpet too.
Old Lei smiled at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, then continued, “Of course, the contributions from you two, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, were also indispensable.”
“In all my years teaching at Songyang, I have never seen Martial Dao talent like yours. As your teacher, I must thank you both for these remarkable achievements.”
Then he pointed toward Zhang Yu, who was already using the spare moment to cultivate the Desolate Bull Soul-Pacifying Mind Art. “Look at Zhang Yu. He seizes every free moment to cultivate. Such diligence and self-discipline are rare to see, even after all my years.”
Zhang Yu shook his head with a feeling of helplessness. If it were not for this damn ritual constantly nagging me, who would want to squeeze in cultivation while eating and walking?
Old Lei continued, “Finally, I hope you all keep up the good work and get into universities that you will be satisfied with.”
After he finished his speech, Old Lei downed his cup of milk tea in one gulp, and the atmosphere at the table grew even livelier.
Because Lei Jun was present, Zhao Tianxing seemed somewhat reserved. He raised his glass to Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen and said, “Yu Zi, A-Zhen, congratulations on your excellent results in the competition.”
Qian Shen pointed at a dish and said, “This is the restaurant’s signature dish. Hurry and try some.”
As the dishes arrived, none of those present were ordinary mortals. Their chopsticks became blurs as they swept across the table like a whirlwind, devouring one plate after another.
Just then, Zhang Yu’s phone vibrated.
He pulled it out and saw a message from Zhang Pianpian.
“Little Brother, congratulations on winning first place in the Martial Arts Competition. You’re one step closer to your goal.”
“Remember to pay back the 40,000 yuan I lent you soon.”
Reading the last message from Zhang Pianpian, Zhang Yu sighed to himself. My dear elder sister must be tight on cash too. Her pockets aren’t exactly deep either.
At that moment, Qian Shen asked curiously, “What did Le Mulan mean on the arena stage with all that talk about you making money?”
So Zhang Yu briefly explained the incident with Le Mulan and the 400,000 yuan.
This was the first time Lei Jun had heard of it. He stared wide-eyed at Zhang Yu and asked, “So you chose to take first place in the Martial Arts Competition just to beat her on the stage?”
Zhang Yu declared proudly, “How could a martial practitioner like myself bow down for a mere 400,000 yuan?”
Lei Jun pointed at Zhang Yu and lamented in a pained voice, “Foolish! Absolutely foolish!”
He thought to himself, Zhang Yu, you’re not even aiming for the top ten universities anyway.
So he sighed aloud, “How can first place in the Martial Arts Competition compare to 400,000 yuan?”
“Money is strength, potential, and the future. Though you sacrificed first place in the Martial Arts Competition, with your talent, 400,000 yuan could have helped you secure a place in many more competitions to come.”
Zhao Tianxing, who was at his side, could not help but sigh to himself as well. Ah, 400,000 yuan… This first-place finish in the Martial Arts Competition came at too high a price.
Seeing Lei Jun and Zhao Tianxing at the table looking as if they had personally lost hundreds of thousands, Zhang Yu felt a mix of exasperation and resignation. Ah, this is just how it is in Kunxu. It’s normal.
And Zhang Yu understood in his heart that they were not wrong in a way. After all, money would be of great use to him in the upcoming sports competitions and talisman competitions.
Just then, his phone vibrated again. He opened it and saw it was a message from the Martial Arts Competition organizers.
The first part of the message stated that the 50,000 yuan prize money was already being processed.
The second part asked him to select his reward, an Expert-Grade Cultivation Technique for the champion.
Zhang Yu immediately focused his attention on the list of cultivation arts they provided.
As he read through the list, he began to mentally review the cultivation arts he had already learned.
“For my Dao Heart, I have the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique. For Magic Power, I have the Celestial Circulation Breathing Technique. In combat, besides the Limitless Cloud Hands and the Indestructible Seal Technique, I also recently learned the Dragon-Back Mountain-Toppling Hand.”
“Dao Heart, magic power, and combat. I already have Expert-Grade Cultivation Arts for all of these. What I need most now is a body-refining martial art. It is also what will be most crucial for the Physical Education Competition in two months.”
Techniques like the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique and the Celestial Circulation Breathing Technique would undoubtedly grow less effective as his various stats continued to improve.
However, they were more than sufficient for his current needs.
In contrast, the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Strengthening that he used to train his physical body was far too crude and inadequate.
He then filtered out the three Body Refinement Techniques from the list of cultivation arts offered as competition rewards. They were Dragon Mammoth Strength, Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi, and Muscle and Tendon Transformation.
After examining them repeatedly, Zhang Yu still felt uncertain, so he simply asked Lei Jun, who was nearby.
Lei Jun nodded slightly and said, “Indeed, a Body Refinement Technique is what you need most right now.”
As an experienced teacher of many years, even though he was not a physical education instructor, Lei Jun had considerable knowledge of Body Refinement Techniques.
He glanced at the three Body Refinement Techniques Zhang Yu had found and quickly had a good idea of them.
He was heard saying, “The Dragon Mammoth Strength, as its name suggests, is a strength-focused art that excels at enhancing one’s physique. However, it demands rigorous medicinal treatments. Without daily sessions of over a dozen syringe shots, it would be hard to progress in it. As for the results, well, they would be in a similar direction to Song Hailong.”
So basically a meatshield tank? Zhang Yu thought. He recalled Song Hailong’s two-and-a-half-meter-tall, little-giant-like frame and nodded in understanding.
Lei Jun continued, “The Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi is a more balanced Body Refinement Technique. Its unique feature is its emphasis on internal refinement, focusing on the tendons and bones explosive power. For optimal results, it is best combined with medicinal supplements and nutritional cultivation.”
Zhang Yu immediately categorized it. A bruiser build.
[Note – A bruiser build is something like a semi tank and semi damage dealer which focuses mainly on survivability]
“This last one, Muscle and Tendon Transformation, is definitely not suitable for you. This Body Refinement Technique focuses more on the body’s flexibility and ability to transform, so it is meant to complement other specialized cultivation arts.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s options narrowed to just Dragon Mammoth Strength and Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.
But both arts had their pros and cons, and for a moment, he could not decide.
Lei Jun then reminded him from the side, “I recommend you choose the Dragon Mammoth Strength. For one thing, this art is relatively simpler. For another, it aligns better with our Songyang’s style of body cultivation. When the time comes, you can have Wang Hai give you some pointers.”
“That Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi, on the other hand, emphasizes internal refinement and is extremely difficult. Without guidance from a master, not only is it hard to perfect, but it is also very easy to get injured. This technique is so difficult and the risk of injury so high that any injuries from practicing it are not covered by insurance.”
A sudden thought struck Zhang Yu, and he asked, “Teacher, how many moves are in each of these cultivation arts?”
Lei Jun pondered for a moment before saying, “I don’t remember for Dragon Mammoth Strength, probably a few dozen moves. But every single move is simple and unadorned, progresses gradually, and is not difficult to learn.”
“As for Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi, I remember it because this art has only one, a standing posture. But don’t let that fool you. This single posture requires the perfect coordination of the entire body, making it extremely difficult and prone to injury. It is not suitable for you yet…”
Zhang Yu’s eyes brightened. He already knew which one to choose.
He promptly informed the organizers of his selection. Soon, the electronic manual and usage rights for Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi were sent to him.
Not long after, once Zhang Yu and his companions had eaten and drunk their fill, they checked the time. It was almost 6:30 in the morning. Too lazy to go home and wash up, they decided to head straight for the school.
***
Meanwhile.
Early morning, inside Songyang High School.
Zhou Chechen looked at Lan Ling before him and frowned. “What did you just say?”
Lan Ling could only repeat what he had just said. “Zhang Yu won first place in the Martial Arts Competition.”
“Zhang Yu? First place in the Martial Arts Competition?” Zhou Chechen said in disbelief. “Did Bailong, Purple Cloud, and Red Pagoda not participate?”
Lan Ling could only pull out his phone. “He first defeated Song Hailong from Bailong High School, then beat Le Mulan from Purple Cloud High School to secure first place.”
Zhou Chechen took the phone and watched the combat footage of Zhang Yu. After a moment, he looked up with a surprised expression and said, “The weak defeating the strong… No, while his stats may have been weaker, but considering his martial techniques and actual combat performance, he was indeed stronger at the moment of victory.”
“I never would have imagined it. Truly, I never would have imagined that our Songyang would produce someone like this.”
“Zhang Pianpian must have invested heavily in this Zhang Yu to get him to this point.”
At this thought, a shadow crossed Zhou Chechen’s face. It was because Zhang Yu should have been signed by him, but he had been taken in by Zhang Pianpian instead.
It was as if a project he had his eye on had been forcefully stolen away by someone else, and now the project’s value was multiplying as it rose.
To a wealthy man like Zhou Chechen, earning less was tantamount to losing money, especially when it meant missing out on such a promising prospect.
He could only silently reassure himself internally, Just six months left. In another six months, I can reclaim Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, and then I would make up for the lost profits by squeezing every last bit out of them.
Just then, Lan Ling reminded him again, “What about Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s application to join the Physical Education Competition Team?”
Zhou Chechen snorted coldly. “Reject it.”
Lan Ling said, “Wang Hai has been pushing hard for them to join. He has brought it up several times already.”
“And then there is Zhang Pianpian and the Patrol Team to consider. If we reject them without a valid reason, it might be hard to justify.”
The thought of Zhang Pianpian returning to Songyang High School to cause a scene and even make him lose face made a flicker of anxiety flash in Zhou Chechen’s eyes.
Then Zhou Chechen said calmly, “For Physical Education competitions, each school can send five representatives.”
“Then have someone tell Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen this. In one month, if they can get into the top five among first-year students in Physical Education, we will let them participate in the competition. If their stats are not good enough, they can only blame their own lack of skill. It will have nothing to do with us.”
Lan Ling’s gaze shifted. He knew perfectly well that with Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s physical performance, maintaining a spot in the top five of their grade would be no problem at all.
Unless they selected another group of First-Year students, enrolled them in the special training program, and completely overwhelmed Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen in Physical Strength.
Zhou Chechen made a quick calculation. “In a month, based on Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s rate of progress, their Physical Strength will at best improve to between level 1.8 and 2.1.”
Picking up the student files from his desk, Zhou Chechen said calmly, “It has been half a year since school started, so the First-Years’ foundation is solid. Let’s move the timeline up a bit this year and recruit these five students into the special training program. We’ll have them participate in the Physical Education competition.”
“In a month, we will use the special training program to make their Physical Strength skyrocket to above level 3.0. This will push both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen out of the sports competitions, and then even Zhang Pianpian will have nothing to say.”
He glanced at the student files in his hand. Besides the five First-Year students, such as Qian Shen, He Dayou, and Zhao Tianxing, there were also more than ten Second-Year students listed. Each of them was seemingly paired with one of the First-Year students.
