Pingyin County.
"Train the muscles, bones, and skin externally; cultivate a breath of vital energy internally. Here at our Jishan Boxing Gym, we treat everyone equally. Even the precious internal cultivation methods are taught to all of you. So as long as you work hard enough, better and stronger techniques are waiting for you!"
Bi Hong, the eldest disciple of the Jishan Boxing Gym, was shouting loudly, while the gym's students listened attentively. In a corner, a dark-skinned, thin, and small figure held his head high like the others, but if one looked closely at his eyes, they were dull and vacant.
Between one blink and the next, Chen Fei had inexplicably arrived in this world over ten days ago. By absorbing the original owner's memories, he learned this was a world similar to ancient Blue Star.
But here, there were martial artists who could leap great heights with ease, killing an ordinary person as easily as squeezing a chick to death.
Chen Fei was currently a menial servant at a medical clinic—not even an apprentice. His daily work at the clinic consisted of odd jobs.
Learn medicine? Out of the question. They would never give him the chance.
Learn by spying? If caught, he would be beaten to a cripple on the spot and left to fend for himself.
Unwilling to live like this forever, the original owner had been obedient and hardworking at the clinic, hoping to win some favor and learn a little skill.
Unfortunately, all the menial servants shared this same idea, and the competition was so fierce that it made the original owner question his very existence.
Left with no choice, the original owner took the silver taels he had saved and enrolled as a student at the Jishan Boxing Gym, hoping to change his fate.
The Jishan Boxing Gym was straightforward: upon enrollment, they taught a breathing technique and a corresponding set of fist techniques. The original owner treasured these and studied them desperately in his spare time.
After three months of martial training, before he could even gain entry into the fist techniques or breathing method, he overtrained, fell ill from exhaustion, and died!
Chen Fei had received the original owner's memories and naturally coveted the martial arts as well, so he trained for a period too.
But facts proved that there was a real reason the original owner had failed to gain entry after three whole months.
His talent simply wasn't good enough. Chen Fei had inherited this body, and his own talent was no better.
Rely on a modern person's mindset to earn some money and become a wealthy gentleman?
Chen Fei had originally considered this idea too, but as a menial servant at the clinic, the original owner had signed a contract—twenty full years, all of which had to be spent at the clinic.
Leaving wasn't impossible, but he would have to pay a steep sum of silver to break the contract.
Moreover, all his extra earnings belonged to the clinic. If he was caught hiding any, he would be beaten to a cripple.
Utterly inhumane, utterly ruthless.
Yet despite how terrifying this clinic was, the original owner had spent his entire life's savings just to get in.
At least the clinic only made you work like an ox and a horse for life. Other places wouldn't even give you the chance to be an ox or a horse.
Until just now, a illusory panel had appeared before Chen Fei's eyes.
【Name: Chen Fei】
【Occupation: None】
【Techniques: Jishan Fist, Jishan Breathing Method】
【Realm: None】
"Technique detected. Would you like to spend one tael of silver to simplify the Jishan Fist?"
"Technique detected. Would you like to spend one tael of silver to simplify the Jishan Breathing Method?"
The panel displayed some of Chen Fei's information, while two prompts kept flashing at the bottom. Chen Fei had been spacing out just now because he had been staring at this panel that had suddenly appeared.
"What are you standing around for? Start training your fists!"
Bi Hong had appeared before Chen Fei at some point and roared, "If your Jishan Fist doesn't reach entry level soon, you'll have to pay again next month just to come to the gym. You should know this!"
Chen Fei snapped out of it and, not daring to say more, trained all the harder.
Bi Hong glanced at him a few times and couldn't help shaking his head. He knew Chen Fei's background—the man had come to the Jishan Boxing Gym to gamble on a better fate. Now it seemed he was destined to remain an ordinary man after all; fate could not be changed.
An hour later, Chen Fei left the gym drenched in sweat. Aside from hunger, he had gained nothing.
Hurrying back to the clinic in a few quick strides, Chen Fei exchanged greetings with a few menial servants he was familiar with, then hid himself back in the room.
It was a large shared bunk that normally slept nearly ten people, with all sorts of sour, pungent smells constantly drifting into Chen Fei's nose. Fortunately, Chen Fei had already gotten used to it—he still remembered how, when he first woke up in this world, the smell had nearly made him faint.
"One tael of silver... I don't have that much money."
Chen Fei sat on the shared bunk, brows tightly furrowed. He still didn't really understand the panel's function, because no matter how Chen Fei questioned it, concentrated his mind, or silently chanted various "open sesame" phrases, the panel didn't change at all, nor did it respond in any way.
Only those two lines of prompt text kept flashing, urging Chen Fei to hurry up and pay.
But Chen Fei had poured all his savings into joining the Jishan Boxing Gym, and in just these few short months, he hadn't managed to save up a single tael of silver.
"I have to think of a way to come up with this money." As various ideas flashed through his mind, Chen Fei remembered that the original owner had hidden a medicinal herb somewhere outside.
Four months ago, the clinic had run short of herbs and sent a group of servants up the mountain with herb gatherers to collect them. The original owner had secretly hidden away that one herb. It was also during that gathering trip that they had encountered something eerie on the mountain and three people had died—which was what finally made the original owner resolve to learn martial arts.
The original owner had heard that cultivating martial arts to a certain level allowed one to resist the eerie and strange. And even if one couldn't resist them, if among your companions someone's vital energy and blood were weaker than yours, the eerie things would target the others first.
The area outside the county city hadn't been peaceful lately, and the clinic ran short of herbs from time to time. Thus, a trip up the mountain every few months to gather herbs would likely become the norm.
Chen Fei walked out of the room. He considered borrowing money from the other servants, but one tael of silver was far too large a sum for them—no one would lend it to him.
And borrowing from several people separately would likely arouse suspicion. After hesitating a moment, Chen Fei left the clinic.
Half an hour later, Chen Fei retrieved the herb. It hadn't been lost. Then, wearing a bamboo hat to conceal his face, he secretly sold the herb at a market for one tael of silver and fifty copper coins.
Not daring to return to the clinic, Chen Fei climbed over the wall into an abandoned courtyard within the county city.
"Simplify the Jishan Breathing Method."
Chen Fei silently recited in his heart. The next moment, the tael of silver in his sleeve vanished instantly, and the panel in his vision flickered gently.
"Simplifying the Jishan Breathing Method... Simplification successful... Jishan Breathing Method → Breathing!"
Breathing?
Before Chen Fei's mind could catch up, he suddenly saw that the information representing him on the panel had changed.
【Name: Chen Fei】
【Occupation: Martial Artist】
【Techniques: Jishan Fist, Jishan Breathing Method (Entry 1/100)】
【Realm: None】
As Chen Fei breathed naturally, a wave of warmth spread through his body, and the number after the breathing method's entry level kept rising. In no time at all, it had already reached Entry 10/100.
Insights related to the Jishan Breathing Method naturally surfaced in his mind.
"Just by breathing, I can cultivate?"
Chen Fei was utterly stunned. Wasn't this simplification function a bit too outrageous? The Jishan Breathing Method used special breathing techniques to activate the body's internal organs and strengthen the body.
Now, after simplification, merely breathing could increase the technique's proficiency.
This was absurdly overpowered—and Chen Fei loved it!
"Bang!"
Just as Chen Fei was about to continue studying the breathing method, the courtyard gate was suddenly kicked open, and a group of people stormed in aggressively.
"Steward Cui, it's him!" Sha Daxin pointed at Chen Fei and said, "I just saw him holding a medicinal herb, sold it for money, and then ran here."
Chen Fei's brows furrowed slightly. This Sha Daxin had had conflicts with the original owner before. He never expected to be spotted selling the herb. Or perhaps this man had been watching Chen Fei all along, waiting for his chance.
"Search him!"
Cui Sanjie waved his hand, and several servants immediately lunged at Chen Fei. Chen Fei didn't resist, letting them search him.
In a short while, the servants had thrown all the money from Chen Fei's body onto the ground—only fifty copper coins.
"Didn't you say he sold it for one tael of silver?" Cui Sanjie frowned and turned to look at Sha Daxin.
"He must have hidden it in the courtyard."
Sha Daxin was slightly flustered, but quickly thought of an explanation. He strode up to Chen Fei, seized his collar, and roared, "Chen Fei, your deeds have come to light! Hand over the money now, or things are going to get a lot worse for you!"
"I didn't sell any medicinal herb. Don't wrongly accuse me." Chen Fei pried Sha Daxin's hand away, an innocent expression on his face.
"Steward Cui, the money must be in this courtyard. If we search it thoroughly, we're bound to find it." Sha Daxin glared viciously at Chen Fei, then turned to look at Cui Sanjie.
Cui Sanjie said nothing, instead casting a glance over the dilapidated courtyard. The ground was covered in dust, and the only footprints were the ones they had made themselves. Nothing else seemed out of place.
"Why did you come here?" Cui Sanjie looked at Chen Fei.
"My martial training is going nowhere, so I came here for some quiet." Chen Fei said in a low voice.
Cui Sanjie grinned. He had heard that this servant before him had gone to enroll at the Jishan Boxing Gym, but after more than three months, he had achieved nothing.
"Sha Daxin, come here," Cui Sanjie said.
"Yes, Steward Cui." Sha Daxin didn't dare delay and quickly walked up to Cui Sanjie.
"Slap!"
With a muffled crack, Sha Daxin toppled over in a daze, instinctively clutching his cheek, which had already swollen red. His mouth moved, and several teeth fell out.
"Next time, don't come to me without evidence. Do you understand?" Cui Sanjie looked at Sha Daxin flatly.
"Y... yes, I understand!" Seeing Cui Sanjie's expression, Sha Daxin hurriedly nodded in fright.
Cui Sanjie shook his head, finding it all rather dull, and turned to leave the courtyard, with the other servants hurrying after him. Sha Daxin stood up, glaring venomously at Chen Fei. He didn't dare resent Cui Sanjie, so he could only vent all his anger on Chen Fei.
"You got lucky this time, you dog!"
Sha Daxin stared at Chen Fei, but Chen Fei showed no reaction. That tael of silver had long since vanished and could never be found. As for finding the person from the market stall to confront him?
How could the clinic possibly mobilize so many people over a mere tael of silver?
"Hmph!"
Getting no response only stoked Sha Daxin's anger further. He shot Chen Fei a cold, sinister look and turned to leave the courtyard.
Half an hour later, Chen Fei was back on the shared bunk at the clinic, looking at his panel.
【Name: Chen Fei】
【Occupation: Martial Artist】
【Techniques: Jishan Fist, Jishan Breathing Method (Proficient 930/1000)】
【Realm: Martial Man (1/100)】
The Jishan Breathing Method had reached Proficient, and the sensation every breath gave his body had become noticeably clearer. His realm had also changed, becoming Martial Man.
Chen Fei had heard the gym's eldest disciple say that a Martial Man was just an ordinary person who had newly entered the path of martial training. True accomplishment meant reaching the Skin Refining Realm.
At that realm, one would truly leave ordinary people far behind. The Jishan Boxing Gym would also fully accept you then, making you a true member of the gym.
Just as Chen Fei was quietly studying this, the panel changed again.
【Techniques: Jishan Breathing Method (Perfection 1/10000)】
【Realm: Martial Man (2/100)】
The warmth in his body seemed to grow a little more distinct, and his realm rose by another point. At the same time, Chen Fei's stomach began to rumble. As the body slowly grew stronger, it naturally began to demand energy.
The clinic normally provided only two meals a day. Fish and meat were out of the question, but getting full was no problem—the clinic didn't skimp on that, at least.
Chen Fei deliberately ate a great deal more, but around midnight, he was still woken by hunger. Checking his panel, the breathing method was still in Perfection, but the progress had reached several thousand. It would probably break through Perfection by tomorrow.
He just didn't know if there were any further realms after Perfection.
Meanwhile, his cultivation had also risen by several points. By his estimation, perhaps in less than twenty days, Chen Fei would reach the Skin Refining Realm and become a true martial artist.
At that point, whether he stayed at the clinic or went to the Jishan Boxing Gym, Chen Fei would have the leverage to make his own choice.
Eating his fill during the day, Chen Fei worked with boundless energy. It wasn't just that his strengthened body had improved his stamina—it was that life finally held some hope.
Every single breath brought strength. What a wonderful thing. And watching the numbers on the panel jump from time to time gave him an immense sense of achievement.
Before noon even arrived, the Jishan Breathing Method had already reached its peak.
【Techniques: Jishan Breathing Method (Grand Perfection)】
There was no more room to advance. The various insights about the Jishan Breathing Method swirled continuously in Chen Fei's mind. Having cultivated to this level, Chen Fei had nearly reached the realm of the person who had originally created this technique.
In the Jishan Boxing Gym, probably no one had ever cultivated this breathing method to Grand Perfection.
After all, it was only an entry-level breathing method, with no need to grind at it so obsessively. Chen Fei hadn't ground at it either—he had simply cultivated it naturally to its peak.
The breathing method at Grand Perfection gave Chen Fei an increasingly distinct sensation, and the display on the panel confirmed his guess. What might have originally taken twenty days to reach the Skin Refining Realm would now take only about ten—twice as fast.
Chen Fei's appetite began to gradually increase, but he wasn't scolded for it. In fact, just a couple of days ago, one of the stewards had even praised him by name.
Compared with the other lifeless, listless servants, Chen Fei's mindset had clearly become positive and upbeat. The difference in his spirit and energy had pleased that steward considerably, which in effect meant Chen Fei had caught his attention.
The other servants were envious in their hearts and grew much closer to Chen Fei. Only Sha Daxin, off in a corner, watched Chen Fei with cold, sinister eyes.