Chapter 9: Qi and Blood Elixirs
It stands to reason that high school seniors already face significant pressure and should not be asked such sensitive questions now.
Moreover, there are still nine months until the college entrance examination.
However, Li Changzhou was about to embark on a long journey and believed that Li Yuan would not be affected, so he asked.
Aunt Chen Hui couldn't help but look at Li Yuan. She had been taking care of Li Yuan's daily life for a long time, so she naturally cared.
"College entrance exam aspirations?" Li Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Uncle, Aunt, I still plan to become a full-time martial artist. My primary goal is the top five martial arts schools in the country."
"If I can't get into those, then I'll strive to enter the 'Martial Artist Class' at Jiangbei Martial Arts University."
"Full-time martial artist?"
Li Changzhou and Chen Hui exchanged a worried glance.
Graduates from martial arts universities do not necessarily become full-time martial artists.
Take Li Changzhou, for example; he attended a martial arts university and did quite well, but in the end, he double-majored in other disciplines.
Martial artists have comprehensive advantages over ordinary people. Even in daily jobs, their energy and thinking speed are far superior to ordinary people, making them more likely to achieve great success.
But full-time martial artists, as the name suggests, devote themselves entirely to martial arts, aiming to go further in the field, which is more dangerous.
Because the further martial artists progress, the more they need to endure various life-and-death battles to advance.
"Little Yuan, can't you double major in another field? After graduation, you could take a civil service exam or become a martial arts teacher. Wouldn't that be good?" Chen Hui couldn't help but say.
In her eyes, Li Yuan was no different from Li Muhua.
She was like a mother, most worried about Li Yuan's safety.
To her, becoming a civil servant or a martial arts teacher was the best job.
"Full-time martial artist?" Li Changzhou did not object but pondered, "Can you get into the top five martial arts schools? Your school only has a few students who get in every year. Did you awaken your martial arts talent in today's test?"
Li Changzhou was well aware of the difficulty of getting into the top five martial arts schools.
Jiangbei Martial Arts University recruits ten thousand students annually in Jiangbei Province.
And the top five martial arts schools combined recruit only about ten thousand students nationwide each year.
In Jiangbei Province, they recruit only a few hundred students each year.
"I didn't awaken," Li Yuan shook his head.
"You didn't awaken, then you..." Li Changzhou frowned.
"But in today's school test, my physical fitness is at level 6.5," Li Yuan said. "My martial arts skills scored over 360 points."
Li Changzhou's eyes lit up, and he couldn't hide his excitement.
He understood the significance of Li Yuan's words.
"Really?" Chen Hui was also quite surprised.
She remembered that although Li Yuan was excellent last semester, he seemed far from his current level.
Especially his physical fitness, which had increased by 0.5 levels in a short time, was quite astonishing.
"Teacher Xu Bo personally tested it. The martial arts skill score is based on the college entrance exam standards," Li Yuan added.
Xu Bo's test?
Li Changzhou nodded slightly.
He knew Xu Bo and knew that he had a certain reputation throughout Guanshan District.
Previously, when he heard that Xu Bo had become Li Yuan's martial arts class teacher, he was very pleased, thinking that Li Yuan had found a good teacher.
"Good!"
"Little Yuan, at this rate, not to mention getting into the top five martial arts schools, your chances of entering Jiangbei University's 'Martial Artist Class' are very high," Li Changzhou said with a smile. This was the best news he had heard today.
Li Yuan looked at his uncle and aunt, sighing inwardly.
He originally planned to surprise them during the January mock exam.
But with his uncle about to leave, Li Yuan thought he should let him be at ease.
Parents' greatest concern is their children's safety, followed by their future.
"College entrance exam aspirations are not urgent. Whether or not you become a full-time martial artist can be decided after you get into a martial arts university," Li Changzhou advised. "For now, just work hard."
"I understand," Li Yuan nodded heavily.
"My trip to Beijiang, you should keep it to yourself for now," Li Changzhou said. "In the future, when I'm not home, help your aunt look after your younger siblings when you have time... Okay, you've had a long day, go back to your room and rest."
"Okay." Li Yuan thought for a moment and decided not to mention the third-class scholarship.
He got up and left the master bedroom.
The door closed.
"Old Li." Chen Hui looked at Li Changzhou, her tone angry. "Were you just supporting Little Yuan in becoming a full-time martial artist?"
She was indeed angry.
"Didn't you hear his scores?" Li Changzhou shook his head. "A martial arts skill score over 360 points, this rate of improvement... I don't think even Big Brother had such high scores in his college entrance exam."
"You still remember Big Brother." Chen Hui bit her lip. "Big Brother and Sister-in-law, they saved us back then..."
"Enough," Li Changzhou frowned.
"If you don't let me talk, I insist on saying it." Chen Hui suddenly stood up, staring at her husband with slightly red eyes. "Big Brother and Sister-in-law helped us so much, leaving only Little Yuan. Don't you know how dangerous it is to become a full-time martial artist?"
"How many of your classmates who chose the full-time martial artist path are still alive?"
"I understand what you mean." Li Changzhou looked at his wife, sighed lightly, and pulled her to sit down.
"But the child is grown up and has his own will."
"We can only advise, not force him." Li Changzhou said, "After I leave, you can slowly persuade him."
"Besides, the path of a full-time martial artist is not easy."
"How many students who get into martial arts universities don't aspire to become full-time martial artists? But in the end, very few walk this path."
"When he gets into university and sees there are always people better than him, even if we don't advise him, he will calm down." Li Changzhou said.
Chen Hui reluctantly nodded.
"Wife, stay with me a little longer." Li Changzhou hugged his wife.
Chen Hui quieted down, leaning against her husband's chest.
Time passed.
Close to midnight.
"The kids should be asleep." Li Changzhou finally stood up and whispered, "Wife, I should go, or I'll miss the high-speed train."
"When I get to Beijiang, I'll transfer the promised 500,000 blue star coins subsidy from the state to you."
"The family... I'll leave it to you."
...
In Li Yuan's room.
The light was off, with only the faint light from the street lamp and the moon shining through the window.
In the less than 20-square-meter room, apart from two wardrobes and a micro-sized home virtual network cabin occupying about two square meters.
The rest of the space was empty.
One wardrobe in Li Yuan's room was a foldable Murphy bed designed to save space and facilitate his simple training at home.
However, since he awakened his Divine Palace in his second year of high school, Li Yuan rarely used the Murphy bed, mostly sitting directly on the wooden floor.
Today was no exception.
"Hmm?" Li Yuan, sitting cross-legged, twitched his ears.
His powerful physical fitness gave him extraordinary hearing, and in the quiet of the night, he was very sensitive to any slight sound.
"Uncle has left?"
Li Yuan heard the faint sound of the door opening and closing, and like a cat, he got up without making a sound.
He went to the window.
Half a minute later, Li Yuan saw his uncle, Li Changzhou, carrying a suitcase, hurriedly walking out of the building.
After a few steps, Li Changzhou paused, looked back at the upstairs window, then continued without stopping, disappearing around the corner.
Li Yuan stood by the window for a long time.
"Uncle, are you really willing to go to Beijiang?" Li Yuan sighed inwardly.
His uncle's words, "Someone has to go," had a profound impact on him.
From childhood to now, his uncle had been filled with patriotism and had always guided Li Yuan.
However, in Li Yuan's view, the situation in Beijiang didn't seem that dire yet.
"Uncle went, not just because of the state's call but probably also for that substantial subsidy." Li Yuan's eyes dimmed. "With both Mu Hua and I training in martial arts, the family's financial burden is immense."
He raised his hand.
Buzz! Silently, a beam of light shot from Li Yuan's wrist, forming a transparent screen projection in front of him.
It displayed extensive war news about the 'Luo Bu Sea Astral Realm,' including news about 'combat subsidies' and 'support subsidies.'
"I must get into the top five martial arts schools." Li Yuan silently vowed, his determination growing stronger.
Whoosh!
Li Yuan went to the wardrobe by the window, gently pressed it, and the door bounced open.
Inside, besides clothes, there was only a special metal box. The box's outer shell was decorated with a pattern of endless starry sky, shining brightly.
This was the emblem of the 'Starry Sky Martial Hall,' one of the three major martial halls.
He opened the box.
"Basic Qi and Blood Elixir." Li Yuan stared at the box, which held two rows of ten elixirs, with nine bottles empty and only one remaining intact.
He took out the last bottle of elixir, holding it in his hand.
"Two thousand per bottle." Li Yuan stared at the exquisite bottle, which was nearly transparent, smooth, and delicate, feeling a slight chill in his hand.
This was a special bottle designed to preserve the efficacy of the elixir for a long time.
Through the bottle, he could see the red liquid flowing inside, slightly red under the faint moonlight, giving off a faint sense of vitality.
This was the common Basic Qi and Blood Elixir.
Ordinary food, even nutritious meals, could only ensure that the body wouldn't be depleted during intense training.
But to accelerate physical improvement, various precious elixirs and treasures were needed.
As far as Li Yuan knew, many precious elixirs were more effective than the Basic Qi and Blood Elixir, but they were also much more expensive.
In terms of cost-effectiveness, the Basic Qi and Blood Elixir was the best auxiliary training elixir.
But even so, each bottle cost two thousand Blue Star coins.
Li Yuan consumed one bottle every three days for his training.
In a month, he would need about twenty thousand Blue Star coins just for the Basic Qi and Blood Elixir.
Adding daily meal expenses.
Li Yuan's monthly training expenses were close to thirty thousand Blue Star coins.
Not counting clothing and tuition fees.
Considering Li Qianqian and Li Muhua's expenses... the financial burden on his uncle and aunt was immense.
"According to the schedule, I should drink a bottle today." Li Yuan gently removed the stopper.
A peculiar fragrance spread out.
"Gulp~." Li Yuan skillfully tilted his head back and drank the entire bottle of Basic Qi and Blood Elixir.
He made sure not a drop was left.
Then he put the empty bottle back in the box.
Soon, Li Yuan felt waves of heat spreading through his body, gradually dissipating to all parts, hungrily absorbed by his muscles and bones.
It felt very comfortable.
"After the intense training of the last three days, the effect of the previous bottle of Qi and Blood Elixir has mostly worn off, and my muscles and bones are in great need of replenishment." Li Yuan was very satisfied with the elixir's effect.
"Okay."
"It's past midnight; time to practice the 'Great Sun Star Sutra'." Li Yuan sat cross-legged, closed his eyes.
Gradually, his mind emptied, and his spirit calmed.
His consciousness focused on his mind.
Boom!
Silently, his consciousness reached a mysterious place.
There, a strange palace was floating.