Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune: Starting with death row inmates

Shen Chen didn't know what happened. He was concentrating on practicing his boxing techniques when suddenly everything went black and he lost consciousness. It took him more than ten seconds to come back to his senses.

Qin Pi helped Shen Chen up and said with a smile, "You used too much strength in bed this morning, so take it easy this time."

Wang Er understood Qin Pi's meaning and grinned, "Two or three times a month is enough, Brother Shen. It's best to avoid women while practicing martial arts."

Shen Chen sighed, looking regretful: "Brother Qin, I thought you were being so kind as to give me a woman, but it turns out you were jealous of my talent and wanted to use this method to hinder my path in martial arts... You win."

Qin Pi laughed and said, "Don't worry, it's not like you're practicing a virginity-training technique. It's good for you to have some contact with women. Otherwise, when you practice to the later stages, your yang energy will rise and you won't be able to hold back. It will be so painful that your heart will burn and your kidneys will be itchy."

Wang Er said, "I'll go brew a bowl of yang-tonifying and vitality-enhancing soup. You can practice after you finish drinking it."

Shen Chen laughed and said, "You two older brothers are really experienced."

The atmosphere froze for a moment, then the three of them burst into laughter in unison: "Hahaha..."

Wang Er's soup was indeed effective. After drinking a bowl, Shen Chen felt a surge of heat in his abdomen that flowed through his limbs, and the feeling of weakness immediately disappeared.

After resting for a while, Shen Chen started practicing his boxing again.

Bang bang bang! As Shen Chen's punching movements became more and more skillful, the sandbag finally began to sway.

Qin Pi and Wang Er stared at Shen Chen, who was constantly throwing punches, their expressions growing increasingly astonished. In just over two hours, Shen Chen had become a completely different person from the weak scholar who had initially struggled to throw punches.

"A martial arts genius..." The two looked at each other and thought to themselves.

"I thought he would need another year to barely become my apprentice," Qin Pi said. "But it seems a month will be enough."

Wang Er, skeptical, asked, "Was he really just a clerk before?"

Qin Pi nodded, and Wang Er couldn't help but sigh: "It's really a waste of talent. If such a genius had started learning martial arts at the age of six, he would probably be a top master who could be on par with the 'Living Dragon' today."

"Speaking of which..." Qin Pi asked Wang Er. "Three years ago, the Living Dragon had already reached the ninth level of the Essence Refinement Realm. It is said that he has been searching for a realm above the ninth level of Martial Dao. Have you heard any news about him recently?"

Wang Er shook his head: "Never heard of that. In my opinion, the Living Dragon has gone mad from practicing martial arts. The ninth level of Refining Essence is the pinnacle of martial arts in the mortal world. How could there be any higher realms beyond the ninth level?"

After Shen Chen exhausted himself with his punches, Qin Dai took him back to his residence. On the way, he told Shen Chen about the realms of martial artists.

"The path of martial arts involves tempering one's own essence and nourishing the blood and essence of the body; this is called refining essence," Qin Pi said. "Using the physical body as a cauldron and the essence and blood as firewood, that is what makes a martial artist."

"The Refinement of Essence is divided into nine levels, with the first three being the Qi and Blood Realm, the Tendon and Bone Realm, and the Internal Organs Realm. In the Qi and Blood Realm, one can sense and guide one's own Qi and Blood, and the force of a punch can reach three hundred catties."

"In the Bone and Tendon Realm, the bones and tendons of the entire body are as tough as iron, the sound of bones resonating is crisp, and one's fists and feet can break ordinary swords."

"With abundant internal energy, one is free from all diseases and can hold one's breath for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

Qin Pi said, "With your talent, if you are nourished by rare and precious herbs, you can reach the Bone and Tendon Realm within half a year if you are fast. If you are lucky, it is not impossible to reach the Visceral Realm within a year."

"The martial artists of this world are truly a different species from ordinary people," Shen Chen thought to himself. No wonder Qin Pi had the confidence to confront the seven or eight armed guards at the prison gate when he was in prison.

His desire to become stronger intensified: "Brother Qin, what about the next level?"

"You have a long way to go, so don't be too ambitious. I'll explain everything to you in detail when you reach the Internal Organs Realm," Qin Pi said.

Shen Chen didn't ask Qin Pi about his cultivation level again. He had asked Qin Pi this question before, and Qin Pi had only given an ambiguous answer of "guess." It's definitely a good habit for martial artists not to reveal their strength casually.

"To be able to fight ten people at once, he must be at least at the Visceral Realm, perhaps even at the Ip Man Realm?" Shen Chen guessed wildly.

Upon returning to his residence, Shen Chen resolutely refused Cui'er's attempts to serve him: "I've been practicing martial arts recently, so don't get into my bed without my permission."

Cui'er was intelligent. She realized that Shen Chen was serious, so she quickly nodded and said, "I remember, Master Shen. I'll boil some water for you to wash up now."

The copper kettle on the stove gradually heated up, and the faint purple layer on its outer skin slowly disappeared.

While the water was boiling, Shen Chen struck up a conversation with Cui'er: "Cui'er, where do you live? How did you get kidnapped and brought up the mountain?"

Cui'er looked at the flickering flames below the bronze kettle with her beautiful eyes and said softly, "I am from Bingzhou. Two years ago, there was a locust plague there, so I fled south to this place. My parents starved to death on the way. I was rescued by a slave trader, who then sold me to a mountain stronghold. Fortunately, I met Master Shen."

Shen Chen pursed his lips. The Great Yan Dynasty was now in its final years, surrounded by enemies on the outside and countless bandits on the inside, causing frequent disasters. It was likely that it didn't have many years left.

When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people suffer even more.

"Are there any other relatives in your family?" Shen Chen asked.

Cui'er said, "There's another younger brother who got separated on the way; he might still be alive."

Her voice grew softer and softer, and she seemed unwilling to say more.

He looked at the tearful girl and sighed softly, "If you're willing to follow a bandit like me, I won't send you away. If you're not, I'll give you some money so you can go down the mountain..."

"This servant won't leave!" Cui'er suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "This servant belongs to Master Shen for life!"

Shen Chen thought that it was a pipe dream for a weak woman to survive alone in this chaotic world, so she said, "Never mind what I said. From now on, you just need to take good care of me."

Cui'er then stopped crying and started laughing. After taking care of Shen Chen's washing up, she obediently shrank back into the thin quilt on the floor.

Having a blanket to sleep under, food to eat when hungry, and a man to protect her—this was the life Cui'er had always dreamed of, and she was very content.

It was late at night, and Shen Chen, whose body ached all over from practicing martial arts during the day, slowly closed his eyes.

In his dream, he saw that dark reddish star again.

"Why is it this dream again?" Shen Chen frowned slightly, sensing that something was wrong.

He looked up at the stars and was surprised to see a figure sitting cross-legged among them.

The figure seemed to have noticed Shen Chen's gaze and changed its movements.

A deep and terrifying gaze, seemingly piercing through countless stars, fell upon Shen Chen's face from afar.

"You scoundrel, you stole my divine powers!"

A furious shout rang out like thunder, and intense red light surged around the dim stars, instantly engulfing the entire world.

"hiss!"

Shen Chen suddenly opened his eyes, sat up abruptly in bed, and subconsciously looked out the window.

In the tranquil night sky, the Milky Way shone brightly, but there were no red stars.