Chapter 27: A Day of Hard Work

Chapter 27 A Day of Hard Work

At five in the morning, the sky was still shrouded in the deepest ink-blue before dawn.

The dormitory was silent, broken only by the low hum of the energy circulation system, like the breathing of a slumbering beast.

In Qin Feng’s room, he had already opened his eyes on time.

His biological clock had been calibrated to be more precise than the most accurate timer.

He rose silently, changed into a sleek black training suit, the lines of his muscles faintly visible beneath the tight fabric.

He first tapped lightly on Shi Potian’s door, and almost as the knock fell, a muffled “Mm” came from inside in response, brief and forceful, clearly indicating the other was already awake.

Then, he walked to Qian Duoduo’s door and raised his hand to knock.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Inside, there was no movement, only a deep, profound silence.

Qin Feng increased his force, the knuckles striking the alloy door, the sound echoing distinctly in the empty living room.

“Knock! Knock! Knock!”

“Who is it... it’s not even light yet... let me sleep five more minutes...”

From inside came Qian Duoduo’s slurred, sleep-laden mutter, accompanied by the faint rustle of turning over.

“It’s five o’clock.”

Qin Feng’s voice penetrated the door calmly, devoid of any emotional inflection.

There was a two-second silence inside, followed by a frantic, heavy thud as if something had rolled off the bed, then a suppressed, short cry of pain from Qian Duoduo.

A moment later, the door was yanked open, and Qian Duoduo poked his head out, his hair a mess like a bird’s nest, eyes bleary with sleep, a red mark still fresh on his face from his close encounter with the floor.

“Is it... is it already five o’clock?”

He rubbed his eyes, staring at the pitch-black night outside the window, his face full of disbelief.

Before Qin Feng could answer, Shi Potian walked out of his room.

He wore an immaculate white training suit, accentuating his stern features and steady demeanor, having clearly finished all his washing and tidying in record time.

He merely cast a faint glance at Qian Duoduo, saying nothing, but that indifferent gaze was more effective than any harsh urging.

“I... I’ll be right there!”

Qian Duoduo jolted as if doused with cold water, instantly snapping awake, and yanked his head back in, slamming the door shut with a bang. Inside, a chaotic flurry of washing sounds immediately erupted.

Five minutes later, the three walked out of the dormitory building together, heading toward the teaching building of Block C, Building 7.

The campus in the early morning was enveloped in a tranquil mist, the air crisp and moist, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees.

In the distance, the teaching tower loomed faintly through the morning fog, only the indicator light at its top flickering dimly.

When they arrived at the vast martial arts room of Class 3, Grade 1, they found it was not empty.

On the spacious floor, seven or eight figures were already sweating profusely, training in their respective areas.

Some were doing weighted squats, their backs soaked with sweat; others were practicing some peculiar breathing technique, their breaths stirring faint currents of air; still others were repeating the movements of the body-tempering method over and over, meticulously.

Each of them was utterly focused, as if the entire world had shrunk to just themselves and their training.

It seemed that in this school, crowded with geniuses, hard work was the least praiseworthy quality—it was a standard for everyone.

“My god, are these guys monsters? It’s only the first day!”

Qian Duoduo lowered his voice, his round face etched with shock.

Shi Potian ignored his exclamation, walked straight to an empty spot, sat cross-legged, and began a unique breathing exercise, clearly warming up for the high-intensity training ahead.

Qin Feng also found a corner, and the three silently formed a small triangular formation.

He took a deep breath, letting the chilly morning air fill his lungs, then slowly assumed his stance.

He didn’t rush for quick results but slowed down every movement, carefully experiencing the more refined and complex pathways of spiritual energy circulation and muscle exertion techniques in the new version of the *Imperial Body-Tempering Method (Beginner)*.

His body was like a powerful bow being drawn slowly, each stretch and twist brimming with restrained yet surging tension.

Sweat soon beaded on his forehead, trickling down the contours of his cheeks, dripping onto the dark floor, leaving fleeting wet marks.

The soreness in his muscles surged like waves, but he ignored it, still repeating each movement meticulously, immersing all his mind in this ultimate control over his body.

After he had fully performed the entire body-tempering method ten times, his energy began to deplete noticeably, and his breathing grew heavier.

At that moment, the panel deep in his consciousness flickered silently.

[*Imperial Body-Tempering Method (Beginner)* Proficiency +1]

[Technique: Imperial Body-Tempering Method (Minor Success)]

[Proficiency: 18/1000]

Not far away, Qian Duoduo had also entered his training state.

Though he complained verbally, his actions were anything but sloppy.

His massive frame, while practicing the basic stance of the *Mountain-Shattering Hammer Technique*, was remarkably steady, his feet as if rooted to the ground, each movement carrying a heavy, mountain-like force that made the surrounding air tremble slightly.

Shi Potian was on his other side; he had finished warming up and began his body-tempering practice.

His movements were precise, sharp, and explosive, each punch and kick accompanied by a clear whoosh of air, highly efficient.

Time passed in monotonous repetition.

The morning training was a dual test of physical strength and willpower.

Qin Feng pushed himself to the limit again and again, feeling the process of muscle fibers tearing and regenerating under the nourishment of blood and energy.

When he was exhausted, he would sit cross-legged to recover for a moment, then stand up again to plunge into the next round of arduous training.

Near noon, Qian Duoduo was the first to give out. He plopped down on the ground, drenched as if pulled from water, gasping heavily.

“I can’t... I can’t anymore... I feel like my legs aren’t mine anymore...”

Shi Potian lasted half an hour longer, then slowly withdrew his practice, walked to the side, and took out his water bottle to rehydrate. Though his breathing was a bit rapid, he still maintained a steady rhythm.

Qin Feng was the last to stop.

When he finished his final set of movements, his proficiency increased by two points again.

[*Imperial Body-Tempering Method (Beginner)* Proficiency +2]

[Technique: Imperial Body-Tempering Method (Minor Success)]

[Proficiency: 20/1000]

His vitality index also saw a barely perceptible increase.

[Vitality Index: 1.39]

In truth, given enough time, Qin Feng could definitely catch up slowly, even surpassing Shi Potian without issue.

Because his practice of the body-tempering method had no bottlenecks; he only needed to grind proficiency.

Little by little, drop by drop, over time, the improvement in his physical constitution would be very rapid.

After resting a moment, Qin Feng pulled Little Fatty and Shi Potian to the cafeteria for a nutritious meal.

Meanwhile, several people shared their cultivation experiences of the Body Tempering Method, each making slow progress.

...

In the afternoon, it was time for practicing the Killing Technique.

In one corner of the martial arts room, a cold weapon training area had been specially set aside.

Qin Feng took a standard-issue alloy spear from the weapon rack.

The shaft felt cold and heavy in his hand, about three meters long, forged entirely from high-strength alloy, the spearhead glinting with a cold metallic sheen.

He gripped the spear with both hands and began to practice the most basic moves according to the diagrams in the 'Thousand Army Spear' manual: thrust, point, parry, block, sweep, chop...

He repeated each basic move thousands of times, striving to embed the motion memory deep into his muscles.

At first, his movements were still somewhat awkward; the spear in his hands seemed not a weapon but a disobedient, heavy iron rod.

“Qin Feng, your core is unstable.”

Shi Potian’s voice suddenly came from the side. He had finished his own saber practice at some point and was standing not far away, watching him.

“The foundation of spear technique lies in the waist and hips. Your current power generation relies too much on arm strength. Power starts from the root, then transmits through the waist and hips to the spear tip. Try to find that feeling of twisting your whole body’s strength into a single rope.”

Hearing this, Qin Feng stopped his movements, nodded at Shi Potian, and then began to adjust his power generation according to his guidance.

After he completed the thousandth standard basic move, the panel refreshed again.

【New killing technique detected...】

【Killing technique acquired: Thousand Army Spear (Not Yet Initiated)】

【Proficiency: 1/10】

【Realms: Initiation, Minor Mastery, Major Mastery, Perfection, Domination.】

Qin Feng did not stop.

For the entire afternoon, he kept repeating the basic spear techniques.

From unfamiliarity to proficiency, and then to a preliminary grasp of the method of power generation.

As evening approached, his killing technique panel finally changed again.

【Thousand Army Spear Proficiency +1】

【Killing Technique: Thousand Army Spear (Not Yet Initiated)】

【Proficiency: 2/10】

“To be able to use those three killing moves, I need at least the Minor Mastery realm.”

Qin Feng calculated.

If the basic techniques are not solid, the killing moves naturally cannot be discussed.

...

After dinner, the three returned to the martial arts room for the second round of Body Tempering Method practice.

Having adapted during the day, Qin Feng’s grasp of the new version of the Body Tempering Method became increasingly proficient.

His body, like a piece of refined iron repeatedly hammered, became tougher and more condensed through each extreme compression.

When the electronic clock on the wall pointed to 8:30 PM, Qian Duoduo was again the first to ‘fall’, collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath.

“Brother Shi… Qin Feng… are you… are you made of iron?”

Qian Duoduo complained.

“We’re all tired. I’m tired too. But… remain unknown, or become famous throughout the world? You choose.”

Shi Potian smiled.

“Damn it, grit your teeth and hold on!”

Qian Duoduo clenched his fists.

Qin Feng finished the last move and also stopped.

He called up the panel and took a look.

【Imperial Body Tempering Method (Beginner) Proficiency +2】

【Imperial Body Tempering Method (Beginner) Proficiency +2】

【Cultivation Method: Imperial Body Tempering Method (Minor Mastery)】

【Proficiency: 24/1000】

【Vitality Index: 1.398】

In one day, his Body Tempering Method proficiency had increased by a total of 7 points; after a night’s rest, there should be further improvement.

And his Vitality Index had steadily grown to 1.398.

“At the current rate, reaching Major Mastery will take five months, and beyond that is Perfection.”

“The increase in Vitality Index is positively correlated with the increase in Body Tempering Method proficiency. When the Body Tempering Method reaches Perfection, the Vitality Index will be around 10 points.”

“That is, to reach a Vitality Index of 10 and become a second-level martial artist, it will take at least a year.”

Qin Feng silently calculated.

A gap of one year!

He and Shi Potian had a full year’s gap!

“Roughly calculated, in about a year, I can raise my Vitality Index to 10 and become a second-level martial artist.”

“After all, as the Vitality Index increases, the proficiency will also increase faster.”

Qin Feng’s eyes lit up.

This miraculous panel brought him the reward of diligence, a real-time synchronous feedback of improvement!

“The future is promising.”

Qin Feng took a deep breath.

In fact, whether it was proficiency or Vitality Index, they were just data representations; all feedback and improvement were based on Qin Feng’s own progress.

...

Back in the dormitory, he washed away the fatigue from his body.

Qin Feng sat at his desk and, according to plan, began the final meditation.

He closed his eyes and visualized the figure of the Emperor in his mind.

In the spiritual world, that supreme majesty descended once again.

Qin Feng guarded his mind, using his own will to resist and temper himself. This process was silent, yet extremely perilous. Each confrontation was like a spiritual wrestling match, consuming enormous energy.

Half an hour later, he slowly opened his eyes, feeling a mental emptiness, as if he had engaged in an intense mental labor.

He called up the panel.

【Emperor Meditation Method (Not Yet Initiated)】

【Proficiency: 0/10】

Proficiency, still zero.

Qin Feng was not surprised by this.

The cultivation of mental power is a slow, painstaking process that cannot be rushed.

“I just wonder if the Meditation Method and the Thousand Army Spear have passive effects.”

Qin Feng pondered in his heart.

The Meditation Method and the Thousand Army Spear had not yet been mastered, so he couldn't be sure if they had passive effects.

If they did, then his improvement should be faster.

“Hoo—”

Physical fatigue and mental exhaustion intertwined, and before long, Qin Feng fell into a deep sleep.

In this deep sleep, his body began a new round of repair and growth.

(End of this chapter)