Chapter 1

Update Time: 2013-02-18

Under the scorching sun, the sky was clear and cloudless, and the blazing sun hung overhead, baking the ground until it was hot to the touch, making people feel lazy and unwilling to move. Although it had been autumn for a while, the noon heat was still intense. Apart from the low-level physical cultivators who earned their living through hard labor, no one was willing to walk on the streets at this hour.

Under the cool shade of the teahouse, the teahouse attendant took advantage of the rare quiet time of the day to comfortably lean back in his chair. He secretly brewed a pot of cooling tea while the boss was napping, savoring it slowly with great enjoyment. He glanced at the physical cultivators on the street, who were working hard under the scorching sun with their upper bodies bare, and a hint of superiority crept into his eyes. If it weren't for his uncle, aunt, and the connection his neighbor's brother had with the teahouse owner, he wouldn't have found this leisurely job. He would have had to earn his living through hard labor like these people, and there would be no such leisure.

The teahouse was located on the main road that ran east to west through the Four Seasons City, the busiest area of the city. The shops on both sides were lined up closely, and it was also the main route for merchants to transport goods. Even at this hour, many physical cultivators were sweating profusely as they hurriedly carried goods. However, with so many people working, it was difficult to avoid collisions while carrying heavy loads. If the goods were damaged, a significant compensation would have to be paid, or various troubles would arise, causing much distress to the low-level physical cultivators.

Not far from the main road was a winding black stone road, but it was only about ten feet wide. On both sides, there were a dozen or so small shops, and although there were few pedestrians, it was quite peaceful. From the main road, it only took a dozen steps to turn into this road, and without the crowded scene, the transportation of goods would be less nerve-wracking. However, in reality, few people were willing to take jobs on this street.

The reason lay in the black stone road itself.

Whether it was the heat of the sun making the stones hot or the cold of winter making them icy, or for some other reason, working on this road was always more tiring than on other streets. A route that could normally be completed a dozen times a day would take at least half as many trips if taken on the black stone road. Although the physical cultivators were strong, no one wanted to work harder than others and earn less. Some people had tried to change the black stone road, but after three months of nearly breaking their legs with no results, no one was interested in this road anymore. Even if the main road was more troublesome, they could be more careful.

But there were always exceptions.

On the black stone road, a young man was jogging forward. He carried two bags of rice from a shop in the eastern part of the city, each weighing 200 pounds. His steps were extremely steady, and if observed closely, it would be noticed that the distance between each step was almost identical, and he could avoid the protruding or tilted stones with each step. His breathing was long and steady, and with each breath, he took exactly twelve steps, like a clock without any error. His bare upper body was covered in sweat, which glistened in the sunlight, and his muscles were evenly distributed in a streamlined manner. Although not extremely muscular, they seemed to burst with infinite strength when contracted. His face was chiseled with sharp features, not particularly handsome but exuding a strong masculine aura. His eyes were calm and steady, giving a sense of determination.

He ran all the way to Lin's Restaurant, slowed his pace, and stopped just outside the door. It was not mealtime, and the restaurant door was slightly ajar with no customers. He knocked on the door, "Aunt Lin, it's me, Mo Yu. I've come to deliver today's rice."

"Little Mo is here. The door is open, come in," Aunt Lin's voice was old and slightly hoarse but warm.

Mo Yu responded and pushed the door open, smiling at the old woman inside, "Aunt Lin, as usual, I'll pour the rice into the kitchen rice bin."

Aunt Lin was a blind old woman and smiled, nodding repeatedly, "Thank you, Little Mo. I'm so grateful for your help. Otherwise, I and your sister-in-law wouldn't know how to do these heavy tasks."

"Aunt Lin, you're too kind. When we first came to Four Seasons City, we had no money, and you and your sister-in-law took us in for half a month to recover. Otherwise, we would have starved to death. This is nothing."

"Little Mo, you're a good boy who knows how to repay kindness. But people nowadays are bad. You'll meet more people in the future, so be careful and don't get cheated."

"I'm just a low-level physical cultivator. I'll spend my life running errands and earning my living in the city. I won't meet any bad people, and there's nothing for them to cheat me of. Aunt Lin, you don't need to worry."

"Nonsense! I see a bright future for you!" Hearing the sound of the rice bin lid, Aunt Lin called out, "Come over and rest for a moment, have a cup of cool tea. You must be tired from running all the way. They say the black stone road is hard to walk, but you've been walking it for five or six years. Why don't you change your route? You're so stubborn."

Mo Yu wiped the sweat from his face and sat down next to the old woman, smiling, "It's fine, I'm used to it. I'm not used to other routes."

At that moment, the curtain behind him was suddenly lifted, and a woman in her mid-twenties walked out. Her hair was still wet, and she had a faint fragrance, clearly having just taken a bath. Her skin was smooth and rosy, like a ripe peach, and a light touch would make it glisten. Her eyes sparkled as they fell on Mo Yu, and she smiled, "Mo Yu, you always come and go so quickly. We haven't seen each other for a few days. How have you been recently?" The woman was Lin's widow, a well-known beauty in the area, but no one had ever managed to get into her room. Perhaps because there were no customers in the shop, she was only wearing a thin linen shirt, which accentuated her curvaceous figure. Her chest was full and round, and the loose neckline revealed deep, white cleavage, with the peaks barely visible.

Mo Yu coughed and quickly stood up, "Thank you for your concern, Sister-in-law. I've been busy with work lately, but everything is fine. I have a job from Li Yuan's shop today, and I need to go. If I don't, I might not finish by nightfall." He started to leave but was blocked by Lin's sister-in-law, who saw the rapidly expanding cleavage in his line of sight, forcing him to stop.

"There's no rush. You're all sweaty from running. Wipe your face and have a cup of tea. It's not too late to rest."

Mo Yu hesitated for a moment but, seeing the determination in the woman's eyes, he nodded helplessly, "Alright, I'll listen to you, Sister-in-law." He took the towel and wiped his face, but the strong fragrance that matched Lin's sister-in-law's scent made his hand stiff. He realized the towel was already wet, and it was clearly used by her to dry herself after bathing. His face turned red with embarrassment, unsure whether to hold or put down the towel.

Lin's sister-in-law's face flushed, her eyes filled with moisture, and she glanced at him, slightly turning her body, making her round and inviting buttocks even more noticeable.

Mo Yu's heart raced, and the scene of accidentally seeing Lin's sister-in-law bathing when he was a child flashed through his mind, making his mouth dry.

Aunt Lin suddenly said, "Your sister-in-law is right. I've told you many times, young people need to conserve their strength when working. Otherwise, you'll suffer in the future."

Mo Yu quickly lowered his head, "Aunt Lin, you're right. I'll remember."

Lin's sister-in-law gave him a sideways glance, her eyes revealing a hint of unmasked resentment. She reached for a cup, filled it with cool tea, and placed it directly in Mo Yu's hand. Her smooth, round fingertips touched his slightly rough palm, and as she leaned forward, her ample chest was even more impactful.

Mo Yu felt his breathing become difficult. He took the cup and drank it in one go, quickly standing up to take his leave, not daring to stay any longer.

Lin's sister-in-law didn't stop him but smiled, "The full moon is in two days. We need to settle this month's wages. I won't have time during the day, so come at night, and we'll settle the accounts properly." As she spoke, her eyes glistened, and her cheeks flushed, looking alluring.

"Listen to your sister-in-law. You can't not come, or we won't feel comfortable asking for your help in the future," Aunt Lin said, deliberately frowning.

Mo Yu smiled bitterly, only thinking of leaving as soon as possible. He nodded and hurriedly left.

Lin's sister-in-law watched his strong and muscular back, her tongue lightly touching her red lips, and thought, "Little Mo Yu, where will you run this time?"

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After leaving Lin's Restaurant, Mo Yu thought for a while but couldn't figure out how to decline the appointment for the night. He had reached Li Yuan's shop and had to put aside his thoughts and finish the job at hand. Mo Liang's tuition for next month was still short.

"Mo Yu, the goods are here. There are eighteen bags, each weighing 280 pounds. Deliver them to the dock outside the city by dusk. The payment is the usual, and you'll be paid immediately after the goods are inspected on the ship," the worker from Li Yuan's shop, who was familiar with him, briefly explained.

"Alright, I'll finish by dusk," Mo Yu nodded and smiled, picked up a bag with one hand, and placed it on his back. He turned and walked briskly onto the black stone road.

The worker watched his figure, a hint of envy in his eyes. Being able to carry 560 pounds with ease made Mo Yu a skilled low-level physical cultivator, and he might even reach the third stage. Then he would have the chance to join the Four Seasons Sect as an outer disciple and become a respected person.

On the black stone road, Mo Yu maintained a steady pace, taking twelve steps with each breath, without any change. His muscles tightened and relaxed with each step, and he could hear his heart beating strongly. His blood felt hot and almost boiling. As time passed, he felt a slight tingling sensation in his muscles, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Five years ago, he brought Mo Liang to Four Seasons City, injured. After staying with the Lin family for half a month, he left with his brother and began to support himself. At that time, he was only 13 years old, and he practiced only the most basic physical cultivation techniques. His strength was limited, and he couldn't compete with other physical cultivators on the main road. After several times of damaging goods, he had to choose the black stone road, which no one wanted to walk. He had been walking it for five years without a single day off.

Mo Yu didn't remember when he started feeling the tingling sensation in his muscles while running on the black stone road. From then on, although he still felt tired, his recovery speed gradually increased, and his strength grew bit by bit. He didn't know if it was related to the black stone road or some other reason, but the caution he learned from struggling to survive made him keep this a secret, even from Mo Liang. He only told him to run on the black stone road after school as a way to build strength.

Two years ago, Mo Yu could carry 500 pounds and run quickly on the black stone road. To avoid drawing attention, he gradually increased the weight but never exceeded 600 pounds. In secret, he had tested his strength with rocks and found that he could now carry nearly 900 pounds. Reaching 1000 pounds was the strength of one ding, which, according to the Physical Cultivators' Guild, was the third stage of physical cultivation! At that time, he could go to the guild for certification, and with the third-stage identity, he could find a decent job and no longer rely solely on physical labor.

This was also Mo Yu's short-term goal. However, for the past six months, although he still felt the tingling sensation while running on the black stone road, the increase in strength had slowed down. To reach the limit of one ding, it would take a long time, which made him feel somewhat helpless. But Mo Yu quickly shook off these thoughts. His current rate of strength increase was already far beyond the norm, and if he wasn't satisfied, it would be too greedy.

After several trips on the black stone road, he delivered the last two bags of goods before dusk, and after they were inspected and found undamaged, he received three low-grade treasure crystals as payment.

The person responsible for loading the goods at Li Yuan's dock was the second manager, who was said to be a third-stage physical cultivator. Despite his strength, he was short and fat, wearing a dark blue robe, making him look like a round winter melon. He patted Mo Yu's arm and said, "Little Mo, I see your strength has increased. If you don't want to rely on physical labor anymore, come work as a guard for me. What do you think?"

The surrounding low-level physical cultivators immediately showed envy. With their strength of three or four hundred pounds, they couldn't catch the second manager's eye.

If he had received such an invitation in the past, Mo Yu would have been delighted, but now that he had seen the threshold of the third stage, his standards were naturally higher. However, he still smiled and said, "Sure, when Mo Liang no longer needs to pay tuition, I'll come to join you, Second Manager."

The second manager beamed, "Great, let's make it a deal!"

At that moment, a thin, black man ran to the dock and said urgently, "Mo Yu, Mo Liang was beaten at the Physical Cultivators' School. You should go and see him!"

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