Disaster Strikes - Chapter 53:

In the following days.

For some reason, Chen Mo’s cultivation in the Tong Zi seemed to be progressing rapidly. Even Xuan Zong couldn’t help but praise him repeatedly, sighing that Chen Mo was a rare genius in practicing the Tong Zi that appeared in the last hundred years.

This is because, at the rate of improvement it wouldn’t take Chen Mo half a year to reach the first level of the Tong Zi.

According to Xuan Zong’s knowledge, those who had mastered the Tong Zi often needed more than a decade or even twenty years of practice to reach the third level of mastery.

Based on this calculation, for ordinary practitioners it would take at least two to three years to reach the first level. In this way it is not difficult to understand why Xuan Zong believed that Chen Mo was a rare genius in practicing Tong Zi in a hundred years.

Time passed by, and unknowingly Chen Mo had already lived with Xuan Zong in the Pig Cage village for a month.

On a night, after returning from work at the dock, Chen Mo continued to practice basic skills like any day during this month, in a remote corner of the village, particularly motivated.

There are only few types of basic skills and the process of practice was extremely boring and simple. To improve the proficiency of basic skills one had to persist day after day practicing meticulously until the standard movements became muscle memory.

For outsiders who didn’t understand martial arts, such practice was undoubtedly a waste of time, almost anyone can do it, but they are unable to understand the profound martial arts principles hidden in these basic skills. People preferred martial arts moves that looked imposing and they didn’t care about how these moves were cultivated.

Chen Mo didn’t care about these things. On the one hand it was because deep down he defined himself as a passerby in this world, on the other hand it was because he had made real progress these days.

Chen Mo found that, perhaps it was because he had been persistently moving cargo at the dock, the effect exercises had on the body was quite obvious. In just one month, his strength and physique had increased by one point.

He remembered that when the Light Brain chip prompted an increase of +1 in physique and strength, his excitement made him work more actively, astonishing his coworkers, thinking he had gone crazy.

After all, it had only been a month, if the next few months were the same, wouldn’t it mean that his basic attributes could be greatly improved?

However, this was just something Chen Mo thought about. After all, by using this brutal method of training to improve himself, Chen Mo had only developed his body’s basic potential to the level of an adult starving ghost, but the human potential is limited, once the basic potential of the body is fully developed, to improve further it is almost as difficult as ascending the heavens.

Although this was the case, even if it was just an increase of 1 point in attributes, for Chen Mo it was undoubtedly a great encouragement.

As for the proficiency of the Psychic bullet reaching Lv1, it was completely expected because of Chen Mo’s diligent daily practice.

“Martial arts, that’s not how you practice it.”

A faint old voice came from not far away.

“Hmm?” Chen Mo, who was practicing basic boxing turned his head to look.

It was an old man sitting under a street lamp, studying a chess game alone. After so many days this was the first time Chen Mo had encountered someone who took the initiative to chat.

Upon careful recollection, Chen Mo remembered that he had seen him before. This old man often made a living by setting up chess games on the streets of the Nightless City dock. Because he was missing a finger he was called the Nine-Fingered Chess Sage by passersby, who would have thought he was actually a neighbour?

Could it be that he was a hidden master? This reminded Chen Mo of certain scenes from movies.

He sized up the old man, but the old man never looked at Chen Mo from beginning to end, studying the chess game under the street lamp.

It seemed that this chess game was his world, the truth he pursued. For a moment, Chen Mo felt intimidated by the old man’s momentum.

Could this be his chance? Fantasizing that he might have encountered a hermit master, just like a protagonist in those movies and relying on the guidance of the master to ascend further, Chen Mo couldn’t help but feel a little excited thinking about this.

He suppressed his excited emotions and in accordance with the man’s tone, he tentatively asked, “How should martial arts be practised then?”

Only then did the old man under the street lamp slowly lift his head and look at Chen Mo, who was full of longing and expectation.

The shadows under the light made it difficult for Chen Mo to see the man’s facial expression clearly, he only felt that at this moment the surrounding sounds seemed to gradually quiet down with the old man’s movements.

This was because Chen Mo was too focused, waiting for the man’s lofty words. He didn’t want to miss a single word due to his carelessness and regret it for the rest of his life.

“Of course, you must build bridges with Mount Jin and pave roads with the Silver Sea! Gahahaha!”

The old man smirked triumphantly and said “I study chess so hard every day. I even split a bun in half to eat just to save more money so that my son can have a more comfortable life while practising at the Tianxing Sect, have more connections and learn more advanced martial arts. If you can train martial arts successfully by practicing haphazardly like this then I, this old fool, would have lived in vain for half my life. I might as well find a piece of tofu to bump myself to death! Gahahaha!”

After saying this the Nine-Fingered Chess Sage proudly put away the endgame chess board and went back to rest feeling quite pleased with himself, leaving Chen Mo alone standing under the street lamp with a disgruntled expression, he really wanted to strangle the disregarding he is an old man.

He thought he had encountered a peerless master, but it turned out to be an old bastard. Not only did he not give any guidance, but he also undermined Chen Mo’s confidence and indirectly showed off his good son.

After a while, Chen Mo calmed down. After this experience, he seemed to be stimulated and became more motivated, he punched repeatedly practicing basic boxing as if each punch was hitting that old bastard.

‘Starting from today, I’ll practice an extra hour every day, I’ll prove it to you!’

The next day. It was supposed to be another peaceful and fulfilling day.

After a day’s hard work, Chen Mo and Xuan Zong were about to leave the dock and return to the Pig Cage Village. However they found that more than thirty people in unified black clothes were blocking the road on the dock, holding axes and knives looking at the dock workers getting off work.

Upon seeing these people, Chen Mo’s first reaction was… black-clad lackeys?

It had to be said that whether in appearance or strength, these people were almost standard black-clad lackeys. Although their combat power was higher than that of ordinary people, they were only the lowest-level creatures the trial takers faced in this world.

Among these thirty or so people there were naturally elite members.

“The Crocodile Gang is here.”

The surrounding workers seemed to be prepared for this showing fear and frantically searching their pockets, taking out their crumpled money. Those who didn’t have enough even borrowed from each other.

Chen Mo took the opportunity to ask a nearby worker about the origin of the Crocodile Gang.

“The Crocodile Gang is the largest gang in these few blocks. Even the Pier gang’s people dare not provoke them. Their rule is that dock workers must pay three yuan protection fee every month, otherwise they will cut off a finger the first time and the second time they will be thrown into the river.”

After hearing about the ruthless methods of the Crocodile Gang, Chen Mo couldn’t help but gasp. Compared to the Pier gang, the Crocodile Gang was a legitimate street gang in this city.

“Mr. Lu Xun didn’t deceive me, this is truly a society where the strong prey on the weak.”

Looking at the crumpled hard-earned money in his hand although Chen Mo was reluctant he eventually took out three yuan. Following the queue of dock workers, he obediently paid it to one of the thugs in black.

Was this the price of retirement?

Seeing the arrogant and sneering eyes of the thugs in black, Chen Mo really wished he could throw them into the Hive organization and use his Psychic bullet to turn them into points.

“Another three yuan less.”

Chen Mo wore a mournful face, seemingly trying to provoke Xuan Zong. After all, Xuan Zong was a generational leader. Could he really tolerate such humiliation? However, Xuan Zong seemed to have made up his mind to retire completely due to the deaths of several good friends, se just patted Chen Mo’s shoulder as a silent comfort.

Now Chen Mo really admired him. It seemed that his experience in the Hive organization had hit him hard.

“Sigh…” The two of them walked away unsteadily.

Time passed by.

Unknowingly, six months had passed since Chen Mo followed Xuan Zong. In the Pig Cage village, the two seemed to have completely embraced the life of seclusion. Xuan Zong’s patient guidance made Chen Mo’s practice of Tong Zi very smooth.

One noon, under the scorching sun.

Following Xuan Zong’s instructions, Chen Mo practiced basic boxing and basic body movements bare-chested under the blazing sun. His bronze skin gleamed in the sunlight and a strong scent of male hormones seemed to be about to burst out of his body.

He looked full of energy. The technique of Tong Zi, with its insight into the calmness between movement and stillness, meant condensing the innate yang energy when one’s energy was at its peak in the morning or noon, and infusing the body with the positive yang energy of the sun and earth when the body’s energy was most depleted.

In this way, through repeated refining, while enhancing his mental endurance he achieved the refinement of essence into energy.

Suddenly, Chen Mo who was immersed in the practice of the Tong Zi felt a warm stream rushing into his lower abdomen. Following this, his body cells, under this warm stream felt like withered plants meeting a spring thaw, enveloped in an indescribably wonderful moisture, causing Chen Mo to uncontrollably let out a soft moan.

Prompt: speed +1.

Prompt: strength +1.

Prompt: physique +3.

Prompt: spirit +3.

Prompt: energy +2.

The successive Prompts from the Light Brain chip caused him to tremble involuntarily, gradually waking up.

Then he realized that after this hard practice for nearly half a year, he had finally successfully broken through to the first level of the Tong Zi.

“Master!”

Chen Mo could not hide his joy and exclaimed “I’ve broken through.”

“Hmm?”

Xuan Zong, who was sitting beside him, stood up upon hearing this and asked, “Really? What do you feel?”

“Feel?” Chen Mo took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and indescribably wonderful.

“In terms of strength and speed, there has been some improvement. In terms of internal energy, the gains are considerable, but the main gains are in physique and spirit, I feel like my body has been nourished by a surge of vitality and my spirit has been solidified and refined through repeated endurance.”

“Not bad, not bad.”

Xuan Zong nodded and said, “It is said that practitioners of the Tong Zi will experience objective growth in both physical strength and spirit, while their internal energy will gradually increase with their skill, eventually reaching a state where no evil can invade. It seems that you are indeed a good candidate for practicing this internal energy method.”

Gurgle, gurgle. Chen Mo’s stomach grumbled uncontrollably, embarrassing him in the midst of his joy.

Xuan Zong patted his shoulder and said with a smile, “Let’s go, let’s eat.”

On the way to the market, Chen Mo once again checked his attribute panel.

Name: Traveler.

Level: Starving Ghost.

Talents:

1. Stone Skin.

2. Traveler’s talent.

Health: 286.

Defence: 17.

Speed: 13.

Strength: 14.

Physique: 25.

Spirit: 28.

Energy: 15.

Basic Boxing: Lv5.

Basic Palm Technique: Lv3.

Basic Finger Technique: Lv5.

Basic Assassination: Lv1.

Basic Chopping: Lv2.

Basic Footwork: Lv6.

Basic Jumping: Lv5.

Basic Body Movement: Lv8.

Basic Blocking: Lv10.

Basic Psychic Power: Lv9.

Equipment:

1. Psychic Ball.

2. Coarse linen clothes.

3. Baron’s coronet.

4. Deer leather boots.

Skills:

1. Psychic Bullet Lv3.

2. Despicable Mind Shield Lv2.

Compared to six months ago, Chen Mo’s basic attributes and skills have almost all been significantly improved. Especially the physique attribute, which has increased from 17 points to the current 25 points a total of 8 points which can be described as exaggerated.

This not only added 80 points to Chen Mo’s health but also increased his defence by 1 point.

The reason why Chen Mo was able to achieve such an improvement was not only because he practiced Tong Zi to the first level, but also because after six months of hard training, his physical potential was more fully developed.

Especially in the first three months, his physical attributes improved significantly every month.

However, in the last two months, Chen Mo’s basic potential seemed to have been completely developed. It was only after breaking through the first level of the Tong Zi that he once again experienced a comprehensive improvement.

In addition to his basic attributes, Chen Mo’s basic skills have also greatly improved. Especially in the areas of basic finger techniques and basic blocking.

Chen Mo’s basic finger techniques improved from nothing to Lv5 in one go, because Xuan Zong himself is a martial artist proficient in finger techniques.

And Chen Mo’s basic blocking ability was able to improve from Lv7 to Lv10. The reason for such rapid progress was also because of Xuan Zong. Under Xuan Zong’s uninterrupted finger strike attacks every day, Chen Mo had to constantly adopt a defensive posture, gaining effects similar to wearing the tight-fitting suit during training in the academy.

As a result, his basic blocking also received comprehensive strengthening and its proficiency became the highest among all of Chen Mo’s basic skills.

Another noteworthy point was his basic body movement. This is related to Chen Mo’s hard work.

It must be said that the profession of a dockworker has had a significant impact on Chen Mo’s physical training. During his work, he must be quick and agile, be able exert force steadily with his lower body and timely avoiding possible dangers. In such a situation with Chen Mo’s deliberate training, it has actually improved his basic body movement from Lv4 to Lv8 in one go!

Finally, there is also Chen Mo’s combat skills.

The proficiency of his Psychic Bullet has reached Lv3, it has been over a month since then and it is steadily progressing towards Lv4.

Regardless of skills or equipment once they reach Lv4, additional attributes will be activated, which has become Chen Mo’s primary focus at this moment.

(End of chapter 53)