Chapter 36: Destiny Quest, Activated Once More! (Part Two)

After eating his fill and paying no further attention to the freeloaders, Shi Tiexin walked out of the cafeteria and began to circle the sports field. The basic Vitality Cultivation Technique consisted of six postures. Practicing them alone might look odd, but at a superior level, the movements could be simplified into what appeared at first glance to be strange, yet on closer inspection, sophisticated and highly professional fitness poses.

At this hour, quite a few students were out on the field, walking off their meals. When they saw Shi Tiexin practicing his movements as he walked, curiosity got the better of them, and many paused to watch. Exuding an air of “you laymen can’t possibly understand,” Shi Tiexin immersed himself in his cultivation, ignoring the onlookers entirely.

Of course, merely mimicking the outward form of the technique was not enough to grasp the Vitality Cultivation method. Just as one couldn’t develop Qi simply by studying language or math, so too was the secret of martial cultivation inaccessible to those without true insight.

The very beginning of martial arts cultivation required a catalyst—a Seed of Spirit. In that world, the martial path had begun a century ago, with the Origin Sage bestowing enlightenment and distributing Spirit Seeds to all humankind, dramatically altering the course of human evolution. The Origin Sage laid down a rule: universal enlightenment, universal martial practice, equal opportunity, and achievement determined solely by one’s determination and character.

Thus, regardless of social class, this enlightenment was available to all. Even orphans in the orphanage could receive their martial awakening at age five, embarking on the path of mind and strength cultivation.

The enlightenment of the Origin Sage also marked the division between the old and new eras.

However, in this place, Shi Tiexin had yet to encounter a single person who showed even the faintest trace of martial arts cultivation. Even the basic Vitality Technique required a corresponding mental method; merely imitating the external movements might improve health and prolong life, but it was impossible to refine primal energy through guesswork alone.

That was why Shi Tiexin had no fear of giving away secrets.

After another round of practice—three more laps—he once again refined three wisps of primal energy from nothingness. Sensing the newly formed energy swirling in his lower abdomen, Shi Tiexin felt as if he’d stumbled across a winning lottery ticket. If nothing else, at this rate of cultivation, should he manage to stay here for two years, he might just achieve the breakthrough to Sharpness!

To refine primal energy into Sharpness and step into the second stage of strength techniques, a feat that once seemed impossibly distant, now seemed within reach!

Nevertheless, the most pressing matter was still to cultivate his mind techniques. The Destiny Task awaited him; though the benefits promised by its completion were intangible, they were real and not to be ignored.

Glancing up at the sky, he saw that evening study was about to begin. The sky had darkened, and the world was shrouded in gloom. Shi Tiexin’s eyes darted shrewdly.

No, I can’t waste time in the classroom. I should take advantage of the darkness to scout out the area. That Zhou Nan—where did he go? I searched everywhere and couldn’t find him. But I can’t rely on him alone; if he can sneak out to buy cigarettes, maybe I can find a way out too if I look carefully.

After all, this Phoenix Song High isn’t some isolated floating city; all that keeps students in is a wall. I don’t need to look for a gap—just a spot where the wall is lower or more secluded, or maybe something to use as a foothold. Once I’m over the wall, what can the guards at the gate do to catch me?

And with that, Shi Tiexin slipped away without so much as a word to the homeroom teacher, displaying the brazen confidence of a delinquent skipping class.

Night fell quickly, and Shi Tiexin focused on exploring the remote corners of the campus. He peered about, sharp-eyed and alert, but with his imposing bearing, even those shifty glances were imbued with the aura of a leader conducting an inspection.

It was only by looking that he realized how many nooks and crannies Phoenix Song High had. Old schools always had such hidden spots. Some small-time hoodlums were lurking in the shadows, shielding the glow of their cigarettes to avoid attracting attention.

Shi Tiexin strode past with a bold and commanding gait, startling the group. Several of them hastily snuffed out their cigarettes, suspecting that some new disciplinary officer was making rounds.

Ignoring these weaklings, Shi Tiexin continued his search and made a happy discovery—the world seemed to be entirely without surveillance cameras! After all this wandering, he hadn’t seen a single camera, unlike the other world where strict monitoring was everywhere, with crystal-clear resolution. He didn’t know if this was just a conservative tradition at Phoenix Song High or a feature of the whole world.

In any case, wasn’t it wonderful to be somewhere with no cameras?

Where there were no cameras, there was freedom, lawlessness!

Scaling the wall became even easier. After a thorough search, Shi Tiexin found a secluded spot. Yes, this would do—the wall wasn’t especially high, and the other side was a quiet residential area, unlikely to have passersby.

This is the place!

He checked his pockets for money, but finding none, decided to memorize the spot and come back after fetching some cash. As he turned to leave, a commotion caught his ear—shouting and scuffling, not far away.

Sounds like a fight.

But what’s it to me? Shi Tiexin had no intention of meddling and was about to leave when a few louder, clearer shouts drifted over, making him prick up his ears.

Those were the voices of those four idiots.

“Get lost, you bastard! Run, go on, just try running again and I’ll beat you to death!”

“You son of a bitch! If you hadn’t egged us on, would we be in this mess?”

“Still trying to hide, are you? Think you can get away from us? At lunch you were acting all tough, trying to teach us a lesson—let’s see you try that now!”

“Listen up, Zhou Nan—even if your brother were here tonight, I’d still beat you until you shit yourself!”

Zhou Nan?

So he was the one getting beaten? No wonder I couldn’t find him all afternoon—turns out he was hiding here. Judging from the tone, there’s definitely some history between Zhou Nan and those four.

Shi Tiexin’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he strode toward the commotion.

Behind a dilapidated old building, on a patch of bare ground, the four thugs were brutally assaulting Zhou Nan. The sound of blows and screams filled the air as Zhou Nan cried out in agony.

Ever since he’d seen Zheng Kaiming openly shielding Shi Tiexin, Zhou Nan had sensed trouble and was ready to slip away at a moment’s notice. He’d hoped to find a safe hiding place, or failing that, seek help from his older brother and wait for things to blow over.

But no matter how big Phoenix Song High was, there were only so many places to hide. Every hoodlum in the remedial class knew the best spots by heart.

He’d thought he’d found a decent place, but the four of them had cornered him here, subjecting him to a merciless beating.