Everyone Is Working Hard to Pretend
The next day, Lu Zhongmu came with a gloomy expression on his face. After seeing Chen An’nian, who was completely exhausted, his displeasure vanished instantly.
After teaching Chen An’nian fist technique yesterday, Lu Zhongmu went to the back mountain and ended up picking sour and bitter fruits, only to be pelted with stones by a group of monkeys in the woods.
It was an unlucky experience, to say the least.
However, seeing Chen An’nian in this state brought a sense of relief to Lu Zhongmu’s heart.
“An’nian, how long have you been practicing?”
“Zhongmu, I practiced fist technique for the first time yesterday and continued until I couldn’t lift my hands anymore,” replied Chen An’nian, wincing in pain with every movement.
His body was still too weak.
If it weren’t for the “kind-hearted” Lu Zhongmu, he doubted he would ever be able to cultivate.
“Practicing fist technique requires a balance between exertion and rest, otherwise it can easily harm the body,” Lu Zhongmu said, feeling delighted inside.
The more diligently Chen An’nian trained, the quicker his demise would come.
“But you’re doing great. In the final few days, we must give it our all!”
“Yes, I won’t back down,” Chen An’nian understood Lu Zhongmu’s intentions perfectly.
“Oh, Zhongmu, I encountered a slight issue while practicing,” Chen An’nian said.
Lu Zhongmu became attentive.
“What issue?”
“I’m not sure if I’m doing it wrong, but when I focus on the Danzhong acupoint, it always feels congested and uncomfortable,” Chen An’nian explained the correction he made yesterday.
Lu Zhongmu pretended to ponder for a moment, then confidently said, “This indicates that you have grasped the essence. Your qi is merging with your blood.”
“I believe you will soon be able to control your qi and blood.”
“Really!?” Chen An’nian feigned surprise.
“Of course, would I lie to you?”
Lu Zhongmu assured, patting his chest.
“In that case, I’ll go prepare a bowl of Qi and Blood Soup and bring it over this afternoon.”
“You are currently in a crucial phase of your training, and you mustn’t slow down your progress.”
“Thank you so much, Zhongmu,” Chen An’nian’s eyes welled up with tears.
Although you’re trying to poison me, I genuinely appreciate your help.
Lu Zhongmu hurriedly left.
Chen An’nian grimaced as he got up and stuffed the poisoned steamed bun and the enhanced Qi and Blood Soup into his stomach.
The ten strands of divine energy emanating from the Golden Book's fragment made Chen An’nian burst into laughter.
“One more time, and they will converge into a complete drop of divine energy.”
Chen An’nian controlled a strand of divine energy flowing into his palm.
As it passed through, the soreness in his left arm melted away like ice and snow, leaving a particularly pleasant sensation, akin to soaking in warm water.
Chen An’nian’s eyes lit up as he continued to guide strand after strand of divine energy throughout his body, following the instructions of the cultivation method.
Not only did it eliminate physical fatigue and repair muscle damage, but Chen An’nian also felt his physical aptitude visibly improving at an astonishing rate.
In the afternoon, just as the remaining four strands of divine energy were depleted, Lu Zhongmu arrived as promised, carrying a bowl of Qi and Blood Soup.
Seeing Chen An’nian diligently practicing fist technique and drenched in sweat, he was filled with joy.
Diligence could compensate for clumsiness, but overexertion led to death.
Chen An’nian ate the Qi and Blood Soup and continued his vigorous training under Lu Zhongmu’s encouragement.
Lu Zhongmu felt “immensely gratified”.
Although he hadn’t found the secret recipe yet, seeing Chen An’nian inch closer to his impending death gave him a sense of accomplishment.
Previously, when he poisoned Chen An’nian, nothing had happened so far, leaving him without the satisfaction of poisoning someone.
Now, Lu Zhongmu was finally enjoying the long-awaited pleasure.
“That’s enough for today, An’nian. What else do you want to eat tonight?” Lu Zhongmu asked with concern.
“I’m content with Zhongmu’s steamed buns,” Chen An’nian replied with a smile.
“Alright then, I’ll take my leave now. I’ll come to see you again tomorrow,” Lu Zhongmu smiled and left, secretly lurking in the distance.
“I don’t believe you won’t eat anything else.”
As a result, Lu Zhongmu waited from afternoon until evening, watching Chen An’nian repeatedly practice fist techniques.
Despite sweating profusely and even staining the ground, Chen An’nian didn’t stop.
Only when his body movements became distorted did he take a short break, eat a steamed bun, and have the Qi and Blood Soup.
“This is truly unbelievable.”
With the nightfall, Lu Zhongmu could only curse and leave.
...
Days passed, and there were only two days left until the assessment.
Lu Zhongmu looked at Chen An’nian, whose face had turned pale, and couldn’t help but sink into deep self-doubt.
It had been two days since Chen An’nian claimed he couldn’t go on, yet not only was his chest congested, but even his arms were oozing blood.
How could he still be alive?
It made no sense.
In these recent days, he spared no expense, even spending his own money to purchase two additional Qi and Blood Pills and Poisonous Energy Pills.
As a result, Chen An’nian had been teetering on the brink of death, constantly wavering between extremes.
One moment he was coughing up blood, and the next he was gritting his teeth and persevering.
Moreover, Lu Zhongmu hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the secret formula.
Through these days of observation, it was evident that Chen An’nian occasionally consumed wild fruits from the mountainside.
However, Lu Zhongmu imitated him and went as far as eating unripe fruits from the mountainside as well, nearly being chased and pelted to death by a troop of monkeys.
Yet, it was all in vain.
His mouth now carried a sour and slightly pungent taste, akin to a sewer drain. Surely, something was amiss.
Lu Zhongmu splashed cold water on his face, reciting the encouraging words he had previously given to Chen An’nian, fueling his own determination.
“I’ve come this far; I mustn’t give up!”
“It’s time to use the Ice Refinement Pill.”
Holding the bottle tightly, Lu Zhongmu approached Chen An’nian.
On the other hand, Chen An’nian was also enduring great hardships.
Lu Zhongmu’s extravagant feeding methods these past few days were simply excessive.
Qi and Blood Soup in the morning, blood tempering ointment in the afternoon, and sometimes even a serving of poisonous meat soup at night.
Poisonous steamed buns had become a regular occurrence.
As a result, although he had used two drops of divine power, there were still three drops remaining in the Golden Book fragment.
His condition was gradually improving, making it increasingly difficult to feign weakness.
Fortunately, the assessment was about to begin; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to keep up the act any longer.
“Zhongmu, what’s happening to me? Did I practice the fist technique incorrectly?”
Chen An’nian coughed incessantly, with traces of blood seeping through.
“Perhaps you’ve been pushing yourself too hard these past few days,” Lu Zhongmu said with concern.
“Here, take this Ice Refinement Pill. It should alleviate the blockage of your qi and blood.”
“Really?” Chen An’nian weakly inquired.
“Of course,” Lu Zhongmu smiled, though inwardly he cursed Chen An’nian with frustration.
Why don’t you just hurry up and die?
It’s so unbearable to see you half-dead like this!
Under Lu Zhongmu’s watchful gaze, Chen An’nian swallowed the Ice Refinement Pill in one gulp, causing him to shudder and stumble to the ground.
“An’nian, what’s wrong with you?”
Lu Zhongmu hurriedly approached, feeling the icy chill in his touch, which grew colder by the moment.
“Zhongmu, I... I...” Chen An’nian was at a loss, speaking in a panic.
Lu Zhongmu’s heart leaped with joy as he quickly reassured him, “It’s alright. This Ice Refinement Pill is worth two pieces of low-grade spirit stones. It’s a precious pill that aids cultivation and should resolve the blockage of your qi and blood.”
“Rest well, and once the icy coldness dissipates from your body, all your problems will be resolved.”
“Really?” Chen An’nian, resembling a distressed child, had tears welling up in his eyes.
“Of course, rest well. I’ll bring you something to eat,” Lu Zhongmu said, satisfied with Chen An’nian’s decreasing body temperature, and left.
Overjoyed, Chen An’nian couldn’t help but shed tears of happiness.
He could only hide under the covers, concealing the smile on his face.
This Ice Refinement Pill was truly formidable, instantly granting him an additional drop of divine power.
And this was with him deliberately preserving a small portion to maintain his low body temperature.
If he were to fully refine it, he estimated he could gain even more.
Lu Zhongmu is truly a benevolent person...