Chapter 11: Great Success in Tiger Style Kung Fu (Please keep reading)

After Guo Heng left, Jiang Tao gathered the remaining functional drinks from the table and split them with Lin Qi.

“These functional drinks cost 20 yuan a bottle. They can quickly replenish lost trace elements and restore physical strength.”

“I could never bring myself to buy them. It’s true what they say—being thick-skinned pays off.”

“That’s a line you taught me, Qi-ge.”

Jiang Tao chuckled, his face beaming with joy despite the bruise on his cheek.

“That may be so, but there are still too few people who can actually pull it off.”

As Lin Qi spoke, the two of them left the martial arts room and headed toward the exit of the Chiqiong Martial Arts Hall.

At the entrance, a sleek, all-black luxury car with beautiful aerodynamic lines pulled up in front of them.

The rear window rolled down, revealing Guo Heng’s indifferent face.

“You forgot to add me on Weixun.”

A few minutes later, watching the luxury car drive away, Lin Qi and Jiang Tao sat at the entrance of the martial arts hall, sighing.

“That’s a Starlight-9 model. A single car is worth over a million Xia currency.”

“It’s simply not something for poor families like ours to even imagine.”

“I looked this Guo Heng up. He studies at No. 1 High School, is not only in the top ten of his grade but also comes from a wealthy family. A true darling of heaven.”

“I also heard he has an older sister who awakened a special ability. The whole family is full of geniuses.”

Jiang Tao rubbed his sore arm, his voice filled with envy.

“Awakening a special ability... that’s the kind of genius you only see on TV!”

Lin Qi set down his functional drink, his heart stirring.

Since the invasion of the Otherworld, the arrival of disaster beasts, the rise of martial arts, and the release of source energy, the shackles of human genes had been broken.

A very small number of gifted individuals could awaken special abilities, much like the superpowers in the urban novels of his past life.

However, these special abilities weren't like those in fiction; there were only a few dozen types, all related to natural attributes.

“For example: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Ice, Light, Psychics...”

“According to the news, those who awaken special abilities undergo a secondary development of their bodies. They unlock their body’s hidden treasures, their physical talent improves drastically, and their cultivation speed is terrifyingly fast.”

“Even the fist techniques used to control the body are different from ordinary people. We practice the Five-Form Fist, while they practice the Five-Elements Fist.”

“With improved martial arts talent and the ability to use the power of nature, they are dual-cultivators of the body and the path, martial and magical. Ordinary people just can’t compare.”

“Not only do they cultivate fast, but in battle, they can fight both close-range and long-range. It’s simply invincible. It’s terrifying.”

Lin Qi sighed. Those who could awaken special abilities were the true top-tier geniuses of the entire Blue Star.

They were all seeds with the potential to become Ninth-Realm titled martial artists.

“That level of genius is too far removed from us. In our Cang Province, the number of people who awaken special abilities each year doesn't even exceed the fingers on one hand.”

“We should focus on what’s in front of us. Let’s go get a physical check-up and buy some medicine to treat ourselves.”

“Let’s get into the elite class first.”

Jiang Tao shook his head.

Lin Qi nodded, still feeling the soreness in his body.

……

Ten-thirty.

Lin Qi opened the door and, upon entering, saw his mother, Fang Huiyi, sitting in the living room. She was pale, taking her medication. The stifling air made beads of sweat form on her forehead.

“Xiao Qi, you’re back?”

“Your face...”

Fang Huiyi saw the faint bruises on Lin Qi’s face and looked worried.

“I’m fine. I just went to do a part-time job...”

Lin Qi smiled and said it was nothing, explaining the part-time work.

“This job is actually quite good. It pays 2,000 yuan a session. You don’t need to worry about me...”

After a brief conversation, Lin Qi returned to his room.

He took off his shoes, his toes poking through his socks.

“Looks like I need new socks again.”

Lin Qi tossed the socks into the trash bin and sighed to himself.

A few minutes later, after washing up, he returned to his bedroom and felt the cool breeze of the electric fan.

He opened his backpack and took out a bottle of ointment.

“Sss~”

Enduring the pain, he applied the ointment to the bruised areas and rubbed them vigorously until his skin felt hot.

“At least there are no major injuries. It won’t affect my training, just uncomfortable.”

After finishing, Lin Qi lay on the bed, recalling the sparring session from the evening and summarizing his thoughts.

……

In the master bedroom, on the bed.

In the darkness, Fang Huiyi suddenly said in a low, mournful voice

“It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Xiao Qi wouldn’t need to work part-time to make money.”

“Seeing the bruises on his face, my heart really aches.”

“To treat my illness, our family has exhausted all our savings. Your body hasn't had enough source energy to replenish itself, and it’s been regressing. You’ve already dropped from the Third Realm to the Second.”

“We still owe Big Brother’s family 1 million yuan, and there’s a 500,000 Xia currency bank loan.”

“Linlin will be a senior next year, which is also a time when we need money. I feel so sorry for them.”

“Zhen, you work yourself to the bone every day. Aside from paying off loans, buying my medicine, and maintaining the household, there’s so little left for Xiao Qi’s living expenses.”

“I’m sorry, Xiao Qi, for having a mother like me.”

“At least in about a year, we’ll all be free.”

As Fang Huiyi said this, her eyes turned red, and tears streamed down.

“Don’t say such discouraging things.”

Lin Zhen suddenly spoke. In the darkness, his eyes were bright, as if emitting light. He looked at Fang Huiyi earnestly

“Although our life is hard, at least our family is still alive and very happy.”

“You don’t know how many people envy our family.”

“Since the disaster beasts arrived, how many families have been shattered? At least we are all still here.”

“Big Brother only has you as a younger sister. You grew up together; if he doesn’t help you, who will?”

“We’ll take it one day at a time. Your health will definitely get better.”

“Don’t say things like that again.”

After a moment of silence, Fang Huiyi replied, “Okay!”

“I’ve been hiding my illness from Xiao Qi. When should we explain it to him?”

Lin Zhen let out a breath, stood up, and opened the curtains to look at the bright moon outside

“Xiao Qi has been smart since he was a child. His heart is far more mature than his appearance. After all these years, he’s probably already guessed it.”

“He was a genius from a young age, even if he stopped being so stunning after he started martial arts.”

“I believe he will definitely shock everyone one day.”

“I’ll confess to him after some time.”

“Mm!”

……

Time flew by, and the entire senior year was shrouded in an intense atmosphere of martial arts training.

Many in the class noticed that Wu Kang suddenly began frequently giving pointers on students’ stance training and the Five-Form Fist.

Then, someone realized that those receiving the pointers were all the ones who had submitted their application forms.

Once this conclusion was reached, many regretted their actions.

If they had also submitted their application forms, they could have received guidance too. They felt like they had missed out on a fortune.

Meanwhile, with sufficient resources and strong martial arts talent, Lin Qi was improving crazily.

This day, in the martial arts classroom.

“Hoo~”

“Puh~”

Lin Qi breathed heavily, his whole body burning hot, beads of sweat the size of peas flying off as he moved violently.

The air crackled with his movements, and his veins bulged with rich blood energy.

A pair of tiger claws moved with the wind, transforming him into a fierce tiger. Between movement and stillness, he was like a tiger pouncing on its prey.

“Not enough. Still missing something.”

Lin Qi continued to punch, feeling that his Tiger-Form Fist was only one step away from reaching Great Success, but he couldn't grasp the essence.

White Tiger Leaves the Cave!

Hungry Tiger Pounces on Prey!

White Tiger Offers Claws!

……

He practiced the fist technique over and over again.

The key points of the Tiger-Form Fist kept appearing in Lin Qi’s mind.

He remembered what the Red Emperor had said: “Practice a punch a million times, and its meaning will reveal itself.”

As long as he practiced, he would eventually understand the true meaning.

Lin Qi’s brain became increasingly active.

One must cultivate the courage of the bones. The bones are the foundation of courage; courage comes from the bones. If the bones do not support courage, then courage has nowhere to be born.

Eyes glaring, palms pouncing, head held high, advancing safely through the five elements, the waist as the master, the Dantian exerting force.

【Under your diligent training, template fusion +1%】

【Name: Lin Qi (17)】

【Template: Erlang Shen · Yang Jian】

【Fusion: 1% → 2%】

……

Lin Qi suddenly trembled all over. As the key points of the Tiger-Form Fist surfaced, his technique began to change.

Pouncing, leaping, sitting on the hips, energy flowing to the fingertips!

His body relaxed, and a powerful force erupted from his tiger claws.

“Roar~”

Energy surged into his abdominal cavity, and he couldn't stop a tiger’s roar from escaping.

【You have gained new insights into the Tiger-Form Fist. The technique has broken through to Great Success. Fist Technique +2%】

【Fist Technique at Great Success. Your body has been tempered. Blood Energy +0.15】

【Name: Lin Qi (17)】

【Blood Energy: 5.82 → 5.97】

【Fist Technique: First Realm 89% → 91%】

……

“Hoo~”

Lin Qi stopped his movements and looked at the panel, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

“The Tiger-Form Fist has finally reached Great Success!”

……

(End of chapter)