High Martial Arts: Grinding for the Supreme Talent

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Genius Loan and Part-time Job

”The second floor is different. The food is called a nutritional meal. The rice and vegetables are specially cultivated, and the meat is Level 1 Disaster Beast Flesh.”

”Even the most ordinary Level 1 Disaster Beast Flesh contains a good amount of Source Energy, which can help Martial Artists strengthen their bodies and increase their Qi and Blood Value.”

”In all of No. 2 Middle School, only teachers, school leaders, and students from well-off families choose to go to the second floor.”

Lin Qi shook his head. ”Unfortunately, even the cheapest nutritional meal costs over a hundred yuan.”

”A regular meal, even a large portion, only costs a little over 10 yuan.”

He looked at the hearty meal on his plate, piled high with large chunks of meat. The cafeteria ladies at No. 2 Middle School didn’t have the traditional ”shaky spoon” technique.

They always gave a little extra, amounting to about one and a half portions, and the school just turned a blind eye.

He ate a bit more than usual today, but it was still only 15 yuan.

After the meal, Lin Qi rubbed his belly. It felt warm and full. His stomach was working rapidly, displaying its powerful digestive and absorption abilities.

”I’ve decided. Starting tonight, I’m going to eat the nutritional meals.”

Jiangtao made his decision in an instant.

”I can’t be stingy with money anymore.”

”Brother Qi, my Genius Loan application was approved! The money will be in my account in a few days.”

Jiangtao shared the good news, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Lin Qi’s face. ”Taozi, congratulations!”

The Genius Loan was quite similar to the student loans from his previous life.

It was an interest-free loan jointly offered by the Xia Country’s Martial Arts Education Bureau and numerous banks, specifically for talented students from ordinary or difficult financial backgrounds.

The Genius Loan was divided into four tiers. Even the lowest tier was 200,000 Xia Country Coins—a considerable sum.

The Genius Loan had extremely strict requirements; you couldn’t get approved unless you were a genius.

And Jiangtao had applied for the first-tier Genius Loan, which was a full one million Xia Country Coins.

”Unfortunately, mine was rejected!”

Lin Qi gave a bitter smile. He and Jiangtao had applied at the same time last semester. He had applied for the third tier, but shortly before the school year began, he received a notification on the app that his application had failed.

”Brother Qi, as long as you can get into the Elite Class, you can definitely get the Genius Loan.”

”It’s been like that for previous years. Almost no one fails.”

Jiangtao said, trying to console him.

Lin Qi nodded. He had heard about this; getting into the Elite Class drastically increased the chances of an application being approved.

Lin Qi looked at the stairs to the second floor, the requirements for the Elite Class surfacing in his mind.

He immediately made a decision. ’I have to speed up my progress.’

”Tonight, I’ll eat the nutritional meal too.”

’I have a balance of 3,000,’ he thought. ’I’ll spend it all on resources. I can pay Jiangtao back after I get into the Elite Class.’

”Good brother, let’s do our best together!”

Jiangtao nodded firmly.

”But you have to help me find a part-time job. I’m too broke.”

”Leave it to me. We’ll do it together.”

...

「Teaching Building No. 3, third-floor faculty office.」

This was a private office, a privilege only enjoyed by outstanding Martial Arts Instructors.

The office was extremely spacious, a full three to four hundred square meters. Besides the work area, there was an open space where weapons like sabers, spears, swords, and staves were displayed.

In front of the black desk stood a widescreen monitor. Wu Kang sat leisurely in an ergonomic chair.

He was looking at a form in his hands.

”This time, a total of 15 students have applied for the Elite Class.”

Yan Hong sat on a brown leather sofa, casually sipping bottled water as she explained the situation.

After a quick look, Wu Kang slowly began to speak.

”Across the entire third year, there are 10 Martial Arts Classes with a total of 521 students. In the end, only 50 can enter the Elite Class.”

”That’s an average of about 5 students per class. However, Class 1 is known as the ’little Elite Class,’ and they might have around 10 students get in, which means even fewer spots for the other classes.”

”In our class, maybe the top five have a solid chance of getting in. The others still need to work hard.”

”That’s why we need you to give them a hand, Teacher Wu. After all, the number of students who get in also affects our bonuses.”

”Once they’re in the Elite Class, they won’t be our responsibility anymore,” Yan Hong said.

Wu Kang stared at the application form with Lin Qi’s name on it. After a moment, he slowly said:

”Alright, I’ll give them a hand!”

Hearing Wu Kang say this, Yan Hong also broke into a smile.

...

That evening, seated at a corner table on the second floor of the cafeteria, Lin Qi stared painfully at the meal before him. It consisted of two meat dishes and one vegetable dish, exuding a strange fragrance that made him involuntarily swallow his saliva.

’This is the nutritional meal. One hundred yuan for a single serving.’

”Let’s eat!”

With that, the two of them dug in.

”Mmm!”

The vegetables were crisp and refreshing, the meat was tender and chewy, and the rice was sparkling white. Each grain was like a pearl, emitting a tempting aroma that stirred one’s appetite.

Jiangtao and Lin Qi couldn’t help but start wolfing down their food.

A moment later, they were both finished.

”It’s so good. The texture is completely different,” Jiangtao exclaimed with satisfaction.

Lin Qi nodded. A warm current enveloped his entire body, and an invisible stream of energy slowly flowed from his stomach to all his limbs.

The formless heat filled his body, and his fatigue slowly dissipated.

[You have consumed a nutritional meal. Your stomach begins to absorb it. Qi and Blood Value +0.01]

[...Qi and Blood Value +0.01]

...

Lin Qi was inwardly surprised. ’I can increase my Qi and Blood Value just by eating a nutritional meal?’

’If I eat this every day, my Qi and Blood Value will skyrocket. Reaching 6.0 should be no problem at all.’

...

After the meal, Jiangtao went back to the classroom to rest.

Lin Qi, however, left the No. 2 Middle School campus alone.

He was met with a bustling street lined with stationery shops, snack stalls, bubble tea shops...

All sorts of light screens covered the storefronts, displaying advertisements, while new-energy vehicles sped by on the road.

No. 2 Middle School was a key middle school located near the city center, with a University City nearby.

His physical fitness had long surpassed that of a top-tier athlete from his previous life, allowing him to travel quickly.

Soon, he arrived at his destination.

A wide entrance came into Lin Qi’s view—the Red Dome Martial Arts Supermarket.

The Red Dome Martial Arts Supermarket was a place that specialized in selling Martial Arts cultivation resources.

It was affiliated with the Red Dome Group and had chain stores all over the country. This particular one was the largest near No. 2 Middle School.

Lin Qi stepped inside. Bright lights shone down on rows of shelves, where brand-new items reflected the light, attracting customers.

This was a supermarket of over a thousand square meters, with potions, weapons, training equipment, and clothes, all arranged in clearly divided sections.

Lin Qi had a clear goal and walked straight to the potions section. He was here today to buy Qi and Blood Capsules.

’I only have 3,000 yuan. After setting aside 200 yuan a day for food, I can spend the rest on Qi and Blood Capsules.’

Lin Qi picked up a red, square box. Inside were the Qi and Blood Capsules.

One box cost 120 Xia Country Coins. It contained 12 capsules, making each capsule 10 Xia Country Coins.

This was the only kind of resource Lin Qi’s family could afford. He trained in Martial Arts three times a day, taking one capsule before each session.

That came out to 900 yuan a month. Adding in over 500 for food, his monthly expenses were at least 1,400 yuan.

Even this was money his family had to scrimp and save for.

As for better resources, his family couldn’t afford them.

Now that he had decided to aim for the Elite Class, three Qi and Blood Capsules a day wouldn’t be enough. He needed to take more.

Lin Qi picked up ten boxes in a row, then walked to another shelf lined with rows of vials containing a red liquid.

The ”Qi and Blood Potion” was a Martial Arts resource more effective than the Qi and Blood Capsules. One bottle cost 500 yuan.

Even with his current funds, Lin Qi could only grit his teeth and grab two bottles.

After that, he took his items and went to buy a large quantity of compressed biscuits, socks, and even a new pair of athletic shoes.

Finally, carrying his shopping basket, he got in line for the self-checkout.

In front of him was a father and daughter. The middle-aged father was speaking to his pretty, seven- or eight-year-old daughter:

”Little Yu, your big brother is a contracted genius at the Red Dome Martial Arts Dojo. When we buy things at a Martial Arts Supermarket under the Red Dome Group, we get a 10% discount.”

”This time, our purchase came to 5,250 yuan. After the discount, it’s only 4,725 Xia Country Coins. We saved 525 yuan.”

The little girl’s eyes widened. ”We saved 525? That’s so much!”

”I want to become a contracted genius for the Red Dome Group, too, when I grow up!”

The father smiled. ”Then Little Yu will have to work hard, too.”

Behind them, a trace of envy appeared on Lin Qi’s face.

...