Chapter 7

After waking up from his nap in class, Du Nan would go to the library to catch up on more sleep. This had become a rule for the top students.

Every night, he went out to practice martial arts, and Du Nan hardly got any sleep. When he used his Lightning Magic Power, he could easily sweep through a pack of beasts. However, this method only had negative effects on martial arts training. Unfortunately, once he returned to his skinny self, even a mutated wolf dog would dare to chase and bite him. It was too difficult to train normally.

The poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts.

Du Nan had only a little money in his pocket, not enough to buy even a bit of medicinal herbs, let alone something like gene repair fluid.

Fortunately, with the super combat power of Lightning Magic Power, he had eaten plenty of beast meat during this period.

Although his martial arts training was not yet complete, his nutrition was well supplemented.

"Xiao Nanzi, you're here again. Can you go a day without sleeping? Don't think that just because you got a little good score, you can act all high and mighty. With your little skills, you're still far from qualifying to apply for third-class citizenship in the city," said the librarian, an old man with almost no teeth left.

He usually didn't talk much.

But for someone like Du Nan, an outstanding talent from the slums, he liked to give a few words of advice.

The old man's surname was Zhou. He had been in the school for so long that even the previous principal didn't remember his name. Because he had always been stuck in the unimportant library, the mentors all respectfully called him Uncle Zhou. The younger ones called him Old Zhou.

"So sleepy, what did you do at night, you rascal."

While scolding, Old Zhou picked up his small blanket and covered Du Nan, as the library was a dilapidated place and the wind was quite cold.

Du Nan didn't move, feeling a bit grateful.

This old man, though harsh in words, was kind at heart. Even when scolding, there was a strong sense of concern.

"Huh?"

Old Zhou adjusted the small blanket, accidentally touching Du Nan's arm, and was startled.

Then,

He pinched it again, his eyes becoming even more peculiar.

"Xiao Nanzi, you've grown stronger." Old Zhou, ignoring Du Nan's sleep, pulled off the blanket and carefully observed Du Nan's growing body: "Wow, I really couldn't tell. This little body, compared to before, is much better. What do you do at night, you rascal? Don't tell me you follow the hunting team out at night? Doing that, you're risking your life."

Du Nan was speechless, feeling like a big fish on a vendor's stand... If you're so satisfied, this meat costs ten thousand yuan per ounce, you can't afford it.

"Hey, this little look, did the old man wrong you?"

Old Zhou ignored Du Nan's dissatisfaction and continued to inspect: "This body, solid and flexible, not bad, not bad. You didn't go out with the hunting team at night, right? You must have been practicing martial arts, right? You rascal, you don't read your books properly and play with martial arts. You really don't know when to stop."

Hearing the old man's criticism, Du Nan asked curiously, "Do you have a problem with it, old man?"

"Of course."

Old Zhou covered him with the blanket again and shook his head: "Xiao Nanzi, the old man understands. Everyone wants to climb higher. It's good that you have this ambition, but you can't afford it. Martial arts training isn't something you can achieve just with determination and perseverance. We are poor, and we can't afford such a grand setup. Back in the day..."

Hearing "back in the day," Du Nan immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

Sure enough,

Old Zhou brought over a chair, ready to tell his story.

"Back in the day, the old man didn't believe in this nonsense and practiced martial arts. In my youth, I risked half my life and managed to learn a few moves, easily taking down a dozen or so. In my youthful arrogance, I didn't join the military but wandered with mercenary groups, seeing many things. Don't look at me sideways, back then, I reached the second level of martial arts, almost touching the third. Unfortunately, the path ended there."

Rolling up his sleeve, Old Zhou revealed a rusty metal prosthetic arm: "A poor man is a poor man, always unable to make it big. This arm, it cut off my future. Rascal, do you know why it was cut off?"

"I don't know," Du Nan replied.

"To fill my stomach," Old Zhou's eyes darkened, his mood low: "Remember, on that desolate planet, our resources were exhausted, no food or water. Just to eat a piece of meat, I risked my life and lost an arm, ruining my entire life."

Hearing this, Du Nan was silent.

For a poor person to practice martial arts, nutrition is a major issue. After exhausting yourself, you can't just bite into a piece of bread and expect to recover. Moreover, injuries and wounds can't be healed by expired bread.

From what Old Zhou said,

If he had been rich back then, he wouldn't have had to risk hunting beasts for meat; the refrigerated storage in the ship would have been full.

"We are poor, we can't afford this, the more we practice, the more we hurt ourselves." Old Zhou spoke earnestly, fearing that the younger generation would follow his old path: "You might not feel it now, but as you progress, you'll realize how terrifying it is to have a weak foundation. Xiao Nanzi, I understand your sadness over Old Kong. But for a poor person to turn things around, martial arts is not the way. If you're truly lucky and can awaken magic power, then you can truly soar."

Mentioning Old Kong, Du Nan didn't feel much.

But hearing about awakening magic power made him quite uncomfortable.

He possessed the power of thunder, unmatched in the wild. But this power couldn't be used in the human world. This frustration was like holding a 'missile' but having to treat it like a firecracker that doesn't even light, keeping it hidden.

"I have enough meat to eat." Not wanting to lose face, Du Nan, feeling the old man's criticism, couldn't help but respond.

Old Zhou already had a victorious smile: "Hey, you rascal still don't admit it."

Turning around,

He searched here and there,

Then came back with a new and an old book: "If you want to show off, fine. Here, these two books are here. If you have time, come and take a look. Awakening magic power is a dream, but for us poor people, we might as well dream about martial arts. It's better to let a bird fly and fall than to keep it grounded. Rascal, if you want to fly, go ahead. Anyway, you'll regret it for life whether you try or not."

Du Nan was speechless.

Are you cursing me or encouraging me, old man?

Sitting up,

He looked down and saw the two books: "Blue Sea Federation 'Star Cultivation Technique' New Illustrated Martial Arts Guide" and "Stellar Body Cultivation Technique."

Seeing the words "Stellar Body Cultivation Technique,"

Du Nan was greatly shocked.

Wasn't this the martial arts technique he had practiced before? Back then, he had obtained a strange book in an unknown ancient temple. Why was there an identical copy here... Du Nan's eyes sharpened, and his fists clenched unconsciously, making a slight tremor.

Old Zhou's old eyes sparkled.

He was secretly pleased.

Though he was old, he didn't miss this moment of change. His perception of Du Nan had shifted, and he laughed: "Rascal, you're very interested, huh? Do you want to take them? We're so familiar, the old man won't talk much. The new book is 250, take it, and the old book is a gift. How about it?"

Du Nan suppressed his surging emotions.

Trying to stay calm,

He picked up the new book and pointed to the price tag 'Special Class 198,' giving a look that said, "Do you think I'm a fool?"

But Old Zhou's face didn't change. He chuckled and said, "The old book is a bonus, it's worth a few coins. Though the content is the same, the ancient version is much harder to train with. Some people might like this self-torturing ancient method, right?"

When Du Nan heard 'the same,' his mind was shaken.

But he kept a straight face.

Flipping through the new Star Cultivation Technique guide, he quickly found on the fourth line: "The current Star Cultivation Technique was known as 'Stellar Body Cultivation Technique' in ancient times. Both are the same body cultivation techniques. The ancient version was too difficult and self-torturing, so it was simplified by later generations, adding simpler training methods. After the prevalence of gene agents, the ancient methods were greatly reduced."

It was actually like this.

The martial arts technique he had practiced before, the Stellar Body Cultivation Technique. In this world, there was a completely identical technique. Its ancient name was the same, and it was now called Star Cultivation Technique... Is this technique universal across the universe? Is it that popular?

"Two hundred."

Du Nan tried to calm his emotions, took out two golden bills, indicating that he was interested but would only pay this much.

"No way, at least 240," Old Zhou strongly protested, adopting a professional bargaining attitude of sixty years.

"Add twenty." Du Nan took out two orange bills.

He put on a face that said, "If you don't sell, it's fine."

Old Zhou frowned, hesitated for a while, and finally, with a pained expression, carefully took the four bills and whispered, "Tsk, I'm giving you a deal, take it, scram, scram."

After getting the books, Du Nan quickly ran out, needing to study them thoroughly.

In the library,

After seeing Du Nan leave, Old Zhou slowly took out a white appraisal certificate, which read: "After three tests by the molecular carbon machine, the test item is confirmed to be an ancient artifact. If you wish to sell, the institute can directly purchase for less than 15 million. With city connections, it is recommended to send it to an auction house, with a starting bid of at least 20 million."

"Hey." Old Zhou smiled and tore the appraisal certificate into pieces.

It was unknown what this poor old man from the slums had that was so valuable.

*********

The Star Cultivation Technique and the Stellar Body Cultivation Technique were the same. One was the modern name, the other the ancient name.

This coincidence shocked Du Nan immensely.

The scholar's memory had no information on this, possibly because, as a poor person, he couldn't afford the high-consumption 'luxury' of martial arts and didn't bother to think about it. His mind was filled with information about magic power and seed cores, dreaming of a quick rise to the top.

After half a day,

Du Nan put down the new martial arts guide and had a deeper understanding of the 'martial arts' in this world.

The Star Cultivation Technique was a mandatory martial arts technique for military personnel. Only the first, second, and third levels were publicly displayed. The fourth level was restricted to military or government members, and ordinary citizens were not allowed to privately possess it. The fifth level was for high-ranking military and political officials, and those without a certain position were not allowed to inquire. The sixth level was for the giants of the federation, and the Blue Sea Federation might not even have it.

"It's getting stranger. The source is the same, from an ancient temple," Du Nan's face darkened when he saw the source.

He felt that

There was a thread in the universe connecting everyone's fate.

"Those with magic power." Du Nan recalled, becoming increasingly uneasy: "In the Blue Sea Federation, there are fewer than ten thousand, about one in two million. Those practicing martial arts include all military personnel, all city citizens, and some poor people, making up about 70% of the population. Qualified military personnel must at least reach the first level of martial arts. This path, indeed, is a broad road... but it's also extremely crowded."

Du Nan closed the book.

He pondered.

When he first arrived, he thought the 'Stellar Body Cultivation Technique' was his unique treasure, and magic power was common. Unexpectedly, it was the opposite. In this world, everyone was learning the Star Cultivation Technique, while the fifth magic power... he was the only one in the entire universe.

"The Stellar Body Cultivation Technique I obtained before only had the first six levels, not the seventh or higher. Does this world have the final part?" Du Nan recalled his past experiences, feeling his blood boil.

Back then, he had just broken through the fourth level and died...

Back then, he couldn't find a second temple and only had the first six levels of the technique...

"God, are you giving me a chance to make up for it?" The more Du Nan recalled, the more his emotions surged. The burning martial spirit seemed to want to burn the heavens and the earth. This feeling was ten times more exciting than when he obtained the unique Lightning Magic Power.

He had a vague feeling.

Perhaps, the place before was too small for his martial arts, unable to accommodate such a giant. This new universe was the true sky where he could spread his wings and soar.