Whoaaa—!
A single brief bulletin, like a stone splitting the heavens.
After a brief silence, the cafeteria erupted in an instant.
Li Qingshan's table, having learned the news ahead of time from Wan Keshan, wasn't all that shocked.
Yu Lei, Hong Qian, and Zhao Hongzhou discussed the bulletin's scant details in low voices.
Li Qingshan, meanwhile, kept his head down, saying nothing, his fingers tapping rapidly at the light-screen.
Not hearing a peep from Li Qingshan, Zhao Hongzhou turned, puzzled.
"Bro Shan, what are you busy with?"
"Nothing. Writing a resignation letter."
Li Qingshan gave a small smile and held out his wrist to show the light-screen.
It was indeed a half-written resignation letter.
"I just started the Martial Dao Class. I don't want distractions, so I'm putting the part-time work on hold."
Li Qingshan explained briefly, drew his wrist back, and went on tapping.
Since there was risk, he'd steer clear of it ahead of time.
Whether or not the culprit was that magenta-haired woman, he had no intention of going back to Starriver Bar.
Soon the resignation letter was done and sent, and beneath it another letter showed.
A tip-off report!
The page was packed dense with what he'd just written at top speed.
Li Qingshan scanned it carefully, confirmed it laid out last night's encounter in exhaustive detail, then sent it straight to the Inspection Bureau.
The Inspection Bureau was always particular about this: as long as a lead proved useful, there was sure to be a reward.
But he had to be quick.
After all, he wasn't the only one who'd report it.
On last night's bus alone, someone might well have seen the three yellow-hairs.
By the time Li Qingshan was done, the talk at the table had stopped.
There was too little in the bulletin to discuss anything useful.
Yu Lei looked at Li Qingshan, her eyes rolling as a new topic came to mind.
"Li Qingshan, you hardly use nutrient fluid, do you?"
"Never have before. But I'm planning to buy some on my way back later."
Li Qingshan nodded, hiding nothing.
"Should've bought it ages ago." Zhao Hongzhou wiped his mouth; he knew Li Qingshan's situation well.
"If Bro Shan had started on nutrient fluid sooner, his test scores today would've been even higher for sure."
"Top of the class without any nutrient fluid — that's already monstrous." Hong Qian clicked his tongue.
Yu Lei, far from surprised, brightened instead.
"I knew it!"
Li Qingshan's gaze shifted to her.
When Wan Keshan had commented on him earlier, Yu Lei's expression had been different from the other students'.
When it came to the Martial Dao, Yu Lei surely knew more.
"《The Starry Sky Beckons》 has realm divisions — you all know that much. But what you surely don't know is that this technique has four stages in total."
Yu Lei held up four fingers, not one to drag out the suspense.
"The four stages are: Movement, Force, Breathing, and Muscle."
"In our class, apart from a few who can still only manage the Movement stage, the vast majority are at the second stage, having grasped the force technique of all 108 movements."
"The reason Hong Qian and I scored better is simply that we used more nutrient fluid."
"But you, Li Qingshan — you should be at the third stage, with the breathing coordination mastered, am I right?"
"That's right. Sharp eye." Li Qingshan nodded.
The traits of the first three stages did correspond to the Panel's Entry, Skilled, and Mastery respectively.
But he was more curious about the next stage.
"Classmate Yu, could you explain what the fourth stage, 'Muscle,' means?"
"Just call me by my name." Yu Lei waved a hand and mused:
"The fourth stage is all about mastering the rhythm of the muscles."
"This stage is very mystical. I heard from my unc— ahem — from Teacher Wan that Movement, Force, and Breathing work from the outside in, while muscle-rhythm works from the inside out."
Her voice cut off abruptly. Yu Lei looked at the three pairs of baffled eyes and spread her hands helplessly.
"That's all I know."
It really was mystical — utterly incomprehensible.
Li Qingshan shook his head with regret; from all that, he'd gained only one thing.
Wan Keshan was Yu Lei's uncle.
"Li Qingshan, don't be discouraged either." Feeling bad, Yu Lei consoled him:
"Reaching the third stage this fast means you've 'had your awakening.' With your aptitude, you'll get to the fourth stage sooner or later."
Aptitude?
Li Qingshan smiled and said nothing; that was something he'd never experienced.
Whether the force technique or the breathing coordination, he'd learned them automatically once the Panel leveled up — there'd been no process of "comprehension" at all.
But Yu Lei wasn't wrong, either; once he maxed out the proficiency of the Mastery grade, he'd naturally "grasp" the muscle-rhythm.
After a few more words, the four rose and left the cafeteria, parting outside the school gate, and Li Qingshan headed straight for the nearest mall.
"Ten bottles of basic nutrient fluid — here you are!"
The salesgirl, smiling brightly, held out a specially made little insulated case in both hands.
Li Qingshan forced a smile back, the corners of his mouth stiff.
He took the case with his right hand, his left gripping the scabbard, and swiped his comm-band across the register.
-30,000
His savings, halved!
"Take care, and please come again!"
The girl's service was excellent, but Li Qingshan couldn't take it slow in the slightest; he sped up his steps, hurrying away from this place of heartbreak.
Back home,
Li Qingshan leaned the blade against the wall, swept his gaze over the Panel, and didn't rush to experience the [Martial Dao Space].
Reality was the foundation; technique level was only a means of improvement.
To raise his Body Forging progress, the daily real-world cultivation couldn't be skipped.
"Besides, now that I've got nutrient fluid, I should be able to fit in more sessions too."
Li Qingshan laid both hands on the insulated case and opened it carefully.
Hiss!
Cold mist billowed out; ten thumb-thick vials wreathed in fog, a glimmering blue liquid showing faintly within.
"Fancy packaging, at least."
Li Qingshan muttered, feeling a little better at last.
He took out one vial, quickly shut the case, popped the stopper, and tipped his head back to drink.
The cool, sweet-and-sour liquid ran down his throat and vanished without a trace.
"Three thousand, gone just like that?"
Li Qingshan shook the empty vial, a little dazed.
His body showed no special reaction; a nutrient fluid worth 3,000 star coins seemed no different from a three-coin soft drink.
But the salesgirl had explained this point already.
Nutrient fluid was a supplement; its exact effect depended on the individual.
An ordinary person who drank it could absorb hardly any of it.
To raise absorption efficiency, one had to cultivate a technique.
The precise effect varied from person to person.
In other words, the higher one's technique level, the better the absorption.
Li Qingshan gathered his thoughts, stood in the center of the living room, swung his arms, and began to practice 《The Starry Sky Beckons》.
An hour later,
the last movement done, Li Qingshan slumped to the floor, drenched in sweat.
"Not hungry?"
He felt at his stomach, his eyes lighting up.
Every time he'd finished practicing before, he'd been so hungry his belly stuck to his spine and he had to eat at once.
Now not only was there no hunger,
but it was as if trickling streams flowed out from his stomach, spreading through his whole body, nourishing his spent frame.
"Three thousand — worth it!" Li Qingshan grinned.
At this recovery rate, it wouldn't be long before he could do a second session.
Li Qingshan spent the whole afternoon cultivating.
In the evening, after dinner and another session,
Li Qingshan's limbs were limp and sore, without a shred of strength left; the nutrient fluid's effect had run dry.
[Realm: Body Forging 9/100] → [Realm: Body Forging 10/100]