Chapter 4, Human resources are sometimes limited
After much contemplation, Lou Cheng took a deep breath, removed his coat, wrapped it around his right hand, and quickly approached, intending to carefully pick it up
"Be straightforward and speak frankly": "First, go exercise to improve your physical strength. Otherwise, when participating in practice sessions, you won't be able to endure standing still for just a few minutes, and you won't even be able to keep up with the girls. Isn't that even more embarrassing?"
The witty response made Lou Cheng chuckle, and he casually replied, "What should I do if I can't beat the coach?"
Luo Cheng instinctively halted his steps and gazed over. He saw a spherical object in the fish's belly, seemingly composed of tiny ice crystals intertwined. Upon closer inspection, it resembled a reflection of the cosmic starry sky, akin to a swirling vast nebula, where each ice crystal represented a planet, rotating around faint purple dots of "flame," achieving the most harmonious unity of ice and fire.
When he was about to take off running, the blue fish stopped struggling, and the place where charred darkness and frost coexisted quickly cracked along the lines, revealing the scene inside its belly
The university receives national subsidies, and the cafeteria offers quite favorable prices. One can spend less than 20 yuan for three meals a day. If one prioritizes frugality and reduces meat consumption, it is even possible to keep the cost under 10 yuan. Of course, while the prices are low, there are certainly trade-offs. Firstly, the taste, quality, and portion sizes can vary greatly. Secondly, one must occasionally accept the peculiar dishes created by the chefs, commonly referred to as the "ninth major cuisine—cafeteria food"
Not searching is not a problem, but once you do, you may be startled. I came across an authoritative martial arts website that mentioned in passing:
The Great Dragon King said: "University Martial Arts Society? Which university? If it's Shanbei, Dido, or Huahai, hurry up and find Peng Leyun and Ren Li to get their signatures! What kind of prestige are you looking for? They are true geniuses with the potential to reach the upper third rank. During last year's national finals of the University Martial Arts Competition, they defeated those seniors who relied on bloodline abilities convincingly. I don't understand why they insist on going to university; once this opportunity is gone, it won't come again!"
At this moment, dusk had arrived, and the last short class of the afternoon was about to end. He was worried about queuing at the cafeteria, and without a moment to deeply disdain Cai Zongming, he quickly shut down his computer, left the dormitory, and headed straight for the nearest cafeteria
"Selling Wontons" is a lively and gentle young girl who is currently in her second year of high school. She is well-liked by the older brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts in the forum. Lou Cheng naturally smiled and replied, "Why not wish me success in dominating the university martial arts scene?"
"Selling wontons" sent a cute emoticon and then said: "Little tiger, keep it up, and make your body strong!"
Do not touch the belongings of strangers
A last-minute effort may not be swift, but it will still shine
There seems to be a bright moon hidden there, pure and cool, gradually radiating light, illuminating the surroundings in a dreamy and enchanting manner
Could this be one's own adventure
The "Longhu" forum attracts a significant number of fans, with traffic that can only be described as terrifying. If a newly posted thread receives no replies, it will drop to the second page in just a few minutes. Posts that are well-structured benefit from eye-catching titles, quickly drawing attention from users.
After sending this message and refreshing the page, Lou Cheng saw several replies again
Could it be hiding dangers, making oneself like a green fish
Bang
Feeling content after finishing the rice bowl, I planned to return to my dormitory to continue playing on the computer, chatting with Yan Zheke on QQ, when suddenly I recalled the previous reply "blunt and straightforward" in my own post
Last year, he was "obsessed" with the review for the third year of high school, dedicating all his limited leisure time to the "Professional Martial Arts Competition" and the five major title matches, completely neglecting the "National University Martial Arts Championship," and was utterly unfamiliar with names like Peng Leyun and Ren Li.
At this moment, the second reply appeared, stating: "The plumber eats mushrooms"
This ... ... building took a deep breath, feeling that the situation was somewhat surreal. How could there be half braised and half cold dishes, no, half fire-roasted and half frozen?
This is a rather well-known girl in the forum. Lou Cheng instinctively wanted to call her "Master," but suddenly the image of Yan Zheke flashed through his mind, and a sense of guilt immediately arose within him. When one has a crush, how can they joke and play around with other girls?
The "One Punch Invincible" doctrine states: "In our martial arts school, this issue does not exist; if you cannot defeat the coach, you should honestly accept your place as a person."
Recently, my physical strength has been rather poor, and I need to exercise; I cannot embarrass myself in front of Yan Zheke at the martial arts club... Lou Cheng murmured a few words to himself and decided to take a walk by Weishui Lake, planning to run a lap or two after digesting.
The path of the arena: "Just slip some money to the coach, after all, you have no foundation. It's just about getting fit and gaining some prestige, unlike me back in the day when I worked hard to enter the real martial arts circle"
"Consistently pure love Jun Gangben" replied: "Is the coach a woman? I pursued her! I fixed her!"
Due to a difficult family background before high school, I did not have a personal computer. Although my family's situation improved during high school, I had to be "immersed" in my studies and had little opportunity to go online. It was not until after the college entrance examination that I truly entered the online world, becoming very interested in participating in forums and chatting on QQ, especially when there were others with similar interests.
After a moment of hesitation, Lou Cheng furrowed his brows and muttered to himself
The nickname is "Above the Sky", and the avatar is that of a rock girl. The ID replies: "Second floor! If you want to be my disciple, just ask!"
The "Dragon King" is a martial arts enthusiast who holds an extreme admiration for "Dragon King" Chen Qitao, to which Lou Cheng can only respond: "It's just a small, insignificant school, please don't mention it."
And "Consistently Pure Love Jun Gangben" said: "A man? Then you can only offer your chrysanthemum!"
These four individuals are all familiar faces in the forum. Although Lou Cheng has not officially been part of this community for long, he has gained some understanding of them due to his months of lurking beforehand
In ancient times, there was a division among the warriors. Some sought to transcend the limits of life and attain the kind of immortality described in myths and legends. Consequently, they retreated into the mountains and forests, reforming their martial arts, and referred to themselves as practitioners of immortality and truth. After a span of one to two thousand years, through connections with their families and the discovery of cave relics among other clues, we found that although they had achieved great success in cultivating inner alchemy, they had completely severed their lineage. As for immortality, human efforts can sometimes be exhausted
Why does it feel like a golden elixir from a xianxia novel
The phrase "the tiger falls to the ground" is a meme, meaning to beg for mercy on all fours
"The Road to the Arena" is somewhat of a flamboyant character, always boasting about his wealth, claiming to have received guidance from renowned martial artists, and asserting that he possesses a professional ninth-grade certificate. He insists that he abandoned the path of martial arts for the sake of his family's business. On the forum, he is not short of sycophants and friends. "Blunt and Forthright" lives up to his name, and he seems to have a low emotional intelligence, often offending others with his words.
Certainly, the responses are likely to be biased, as he subconsciously tends to reply more to those IDs that have a good relationship with the moderator "Pig-Riding Hero", which is the so-called small group, such as "Plumber Eating Mushrooms", "Above the Sky", "Supreme Dragon King", and "Selling Wontons"
Luo Cheng browsed through other posts on the forum, gaining insight into the gossip and various martial arts rumors within the martial arts community, all the while wearing a mysterious smile and attentively monitoring his own post, responding promptly.
"Human strength is sometimes limited..." Lou Cheng murmured to himself, feeling a sense of inexplicable emotion.
One should not touch things that are in an unclear state
The potato stew with beef in Songcheng is distinct from that in other regions, typically retaining a considerable amount of broth, almost submerging the dish. When the potatoes are stewed to a soft, almost melting consistency, infusing the broth with their essence, combined with the rich aroma of the meat, it is almost unnecessary to have any other dishes. Just pouring it over rice can lead one to consume a large bowl of it. As for the beef in the potato stew, Lou Cheng particularly enjoys the fatty, greasy portions, as this results in a stew that is overflowing with juices, tender upon entry, unlike pure lean meat which tends to be dry and lacking in flavor. It is almost unnecessary to have any other dishes; just pouring it over rice can lead one to consume a large bowl of it. As for the beef in the potato stew, Lou Cheng particularly enjoys the fatty, greasy portions, as this results in a stew that is overflowing with juices, tender upon entry, unlike pure lean meat which tends to be dry and lacking in flavor.
Just as he smiled slightly and was about to respond, a gentle knock came from behind him. Turning to look, he saw Cai Zongming standing by the slightly ajar door, chuckling dryly and saying: "Chengzi, you go have your meal by yourself. I have a few fellow townsmen coming over, and I need to entertain them"
The cafeteria is still not crowded. Cheng arrived at the window selling rice with toppings and pointed to the iron basin on the left, saying:
Luo Cheng spread his index fingers and thumbs wide, then pointed both index fingers downward, making a gesture of disdain
In a cheerful mood, as the sky gradually darkened, he saw the latest response from "Selling Wontons": "You are still young, don't deceive me. Little Tiger, you are not even an amateur level nine, how can you dominate the university martial arts circle? Little Tiger, you should focus on being a cheerleader, which is a very promising job!"
Opportunities should not be easily abandoned, but one must maintain a state of walking on thin ice, always on guard against changes
The blue fish struggled and leaped high, turning over as it landed, revealing another side, its scales covered with white frost, as if it had just been taken out of the freezer
Understanding is one thing, but as a novice, Lou Cheng still replied to them one by one. To "Consistently Pure Love Jun Gangben," he responded, "I let you down; the coach is a man caught between being a middle-aged man and an old man." To "One Punch Invincible," he said, "No need to answer so seriously..." To "Road to the Arena," he remarked, "As a poor student, it's better to spend your own money than to have it handed to you." To "Straightforward and Honest," he acknowledged, "That's true; I haven't exercised for a year in my senior year, and after the college entrance examination, I went crazy playing for more than two months. My physical fitness is really poor."
The dreamlike spherical nebula stood quietly, stirring the expectations and greed within Lou Cheng's heart. However, after some contemplation, he took out his mobile phone, opened the web application, entered the search interface, and began searching for entries related to golden elixirs and inner alchemy.
In a person's lifetime, there may only be one or two opportunities to change their fate; if missed, they will never come again. Will this be one's chance, or a calamity destined by fate?
After running along the lakeside path for a while, he began to pant heavily, acutely aware of his body becoming weak and his stamina diminishing, forcing him to slow down and take deep breaths.
Tightening his thin jacket, Lou Cheng decided to start running, wanting to leave this place quickly. He was not afraid of ghosts, but one could never be sure that a robber might not suddenly appear in his path.
Luo Cheng walked halfway around the lake and gradually arrived at the desolate area where the new campus had not yet begun construction. At this time, the sky had darkened, and a cool breeze was blowing. The surroundings were empty and silent, with only dense vegetation, which sent a chill down one's spine, instinctively evoking various ghostly legends.
First, you need to purchase a set of professional training attire, and then enter the venue a few minutes after the practice session begins. Your expression must be cold, and your steps must be steady. Upon seeing the coach, say, 'I apologize, I injured my muscles and bones during a previous competition, and can only engage in restorative practice.' If the coach agrees, you can practice some senior Tai Chi nearby, stretch your legs, and take a walk, which will add to your prestige. If the coach does not agree, you should stare at him coldly, exuding a strong presence and maintaining a high posture, and there should be no problem. By the way, I forgot to ask, can you defeat the coach?
Beef and potato with gravy, please add more sauce
At this moment, the content he previously replied to has also received a response
"Consistently Pure Love Jun Gangben" is a risqué joke teller who can twist any topic into something sexual. "One Punch Invincible" is a martial arts school student, one year older than himself, already an amateur first-class, striving to enter the professional martial arts circle. He has an accurate analysis of martial arts skills and a good personality, making him quite popular on the forum
The witty remark of "the plumber eating mushrooms" states: "If you cannot defeat the coach, then as Schrödinger's tiger, you can only perform the fierce tiger landing style
After he sent it, there were several more replies.
At that moment, Lou Cheng suddenly heard a sound of splashing water. He focused his gaze and saw that a twisting green fish had appeared by the lake, though he could not tell when it had arrived. It was approximately twenty centimeters long, with dry scales and numerous burn marks, as if it had been scorched by fire.
Songcheng University was originally located within the city. With the rapid increase in student enrollment, a new campus was established in the suburbs two years ago, claiming to create a "mountain and water garden-style school." As a result, an existing "Micro Water Lake" was enclosed within the campus. The lake is not large, but its waters are vast and rippling, surrounded by lush grass and singing orioles, presenting a picturesque scene.
It seems to be the "Inner Elixir", perhaps left behind by the last cultivator, which was fortuitously consumed by the green fish upon entering the cave dwelling, yet it could not withstand it